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Library of Congress. 



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.UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.rW 



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ARIEL, 



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OTHER P O E M S 




Oh! not the poet's wiidesi. trance, 
Nor painter sees in Fancy's spell. 

A vision of Kuch radiance 
As lighted now by Ariel 



ARIEL 



OTHER POEMS 






wv^wVfosdick 



3IIustral£ii kiil{) ^tsi^ns ij) iOallas 



30nn ^nrlt: 

I5UNCE & BROTHER, PUBLISHERS, 
134 NASSAU STREET. 



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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S55, by 

BUNCE & BROTHER, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of NewYork. 




W. H. TlNSON, 

STEESOTYPER, 

Beetman Stxeet, N. Y. 



HENFtY DOOLITTLE, 

This volume is most afTectionately 

These backwoods blossom.s^ which in the friendly shade of 
private life his partiality Kindly construes- into poetry^ may wither 
in the loublic sunlight^ but. the heliotrope of an humble heart v/ill 
follow him for ever. 

WILLIAM W. F03DI0K. 



C n n t B n t s . 



PART I. 

Pagre 

ARfEL 19 

Daniel Boone 47 

Alabama 63 

The Maize 71 

Amelia 75 

To Hiram Powers 82 

The Thrush 85 

The Bonnie Bard o' Caledon 87 

Lines on the Anniversary of Burns' Birth 90 

Lines on the Death of Tom Moore 93 

Rome 95 

The Whippoorwill 98 

Mary Steele 102 

Lines upon a Picture of " Amelia " 105 

The Elfin Queen (an Allegory) 108 

Farewell Summer Ill 

Sweet Knots 114 

To a Cousin 117 

To Bailey (the Author of Festus) 120 

To a Norseland Musician 1?3 

The Widow's Mite 127 

The Benediction of Spirits 129 

Lines to a Friend 132 

A Love Lay 135 

The Poet's Wake (to the Memory of H. C. B.) , 141 

Carrie , 145 



X CONTENTS 

Page 

To William Cullen Bryant 147 

To Ada 150 

Lines upon receiving a Twin-hearted Rose 153 

Stanzas 155 

Alice 158 

Stanzas 161 

To Genevieve 164 

Cantar 166 

To my Cousin, Mrs. F. M. Gardiner 16' 

To Thomas Buchanan Read, on his departure from America for Italy , . .170 

To Mrs. Ann Steele, of Kentucky 172 

Columbia, the Queen of the West (a Song) 175 

Barcarole 177 

Lute and Love (a Song) 179 

Barcarole . ....,« ISl 

Syren's Spell (a Song) 1S3 

Here's a Health to Auld Scotia (a Song) 185 

Home in the West (a Song) 187 

Mary Lyle (a Ballad) 189 

Bonnie Kitty . . 191 

t 

PART IL 

The Spirits. A Poem in Three Decanters 195 

Ye Ancient Mariner 225 

The Dauphin 243 

Mesmerism. A Poem, in Three Fits 249 

Winter. A Christmas Story 291 

Autumn 309 



^ R I E Hi 



^ R I E IL, . 



A R G U JI E N T . 

Shakspeare has given the only American scene that he ever 
touched upon a character of beauty and imagination not 
elsewhere to be met with, even in his transcendent productions. 

Yenturing with a temerity bordering upon presumption, 
the course of the spirit Ariel is here taken up, at the point 
where Prospero parts with him, and the rhyme is founded 
thereupon. That parting must be considered unnecessarily 
harsh, taking in view the faithful manner in which that spirit 
had served Prospero. 

When Ariel has obtained freedom from earthly bondage, an 
attempt has been made to show how much the spirit of the 
Realm of Air (as the name implies) would be dissatisfied, or 
discontented, when confined to the sphere of Earth — and as a 
contrast, it is essayed to show, that a spirit of the Empyrean, or 
Realm of Fire (being in the highest state of intellectual illumi- 
nation), by falling under the influence of the earthly passion of 



XIV ARGUMENT. 

Love (being less refined than the condition of spiritual love), 
is dimmed in its brightness, and by partaking of anything 
earthly, or, "of the earth earthy," becomes sullied compared 
to the etherial or empyrean state in which it formerly existed. 

As contradistinguished from the Spirit of Air, the Spirit of 
Fire is brought in under the name of Llama, a Spanish word, 
which not only means actual fire or flame, but the highest pos- 
sible state of spiritual attachment, as we have an old English 
word, which may be heard in humble life, whereby, a lover, or 
sweetheart is called a Jiame. 

This unison of the two beings, typifying the two elements of 
Fire and Air, is the mere figurative representation of that 
harmonious blending of qualities inherently attractive to each 
other — as the perfection of all the colors of light in the rain- 
bow best illustrates a concordant combination ; or as the 
harmonies and melodies of music exemplify the ''harmonious 
concord of sweet sounds," so do the various objects which unite 
to form a state of. happiness, present a proof that the absence 
of any one of the necessary elements or ingredients disturbs or 
defeats the perfection of the remainder. 

Thus, Ariel, with the wealth of the world at his command, 
is unhappy, lacking that society which is the life of enjoyment, 
and that reciprocated love, which is the tahsman of existence. 
And as Fire derives its vitality, brilliance, and activity from 
Air ; BO, separated from Ariel, Llama sinks and fades away, 
even in a sphere where every wish beside is ministered to. 
Thus illustrating that with the absence or presence of Love, 



ARGUMENT. XV 

the Soul, that divine spark, either pales with despondency, or 
glows with gratification. 
Thus, 

" Two souls with but a single thought, 
Two hearts which beat as one," 

SO long separated, must ever feel 

♦' The desire of the moth for the star, 
The night for the morrow, 
The devotion to something afar 
From the sphere of our sorrow !" 



Prosfero. 
" Dost thou forget 
From what a torment I did free thee ?" 

Ariel. 
" No." 

Prospero. h 

*' Thou dost, and thinkest 
It much to tread the ooze of the salt deep- 
To run upon the sharp wind of the North. 
To do me business in the veins of the earth 
When it is bak'd with frost." 



Ariel. 
" All hail ! great Master ! grave sir, hail ! I come 
To answer thy best pleasure, be 't to fly, 
To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride 
On the curl'd clouds — to thy strong bidding, task 
Ariel, and all his quality." 



Prospero. 
' But this rough magic 
I here abjure, and when I have required 
Some heavenly music (which even now I do), 
To work mine end upon their senses, that 
This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff. 
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth. 



And deeper than did ever plnmmet sound 
I'll drown my book.'' 

****** 

" Why that's my dainty Ariel, I shall miss thee, 
But yet thou shalt have freedom." 



'' Shortly shall all my labors end, and thou 
Shalt have the air of froedom : for a little, 
Follow and do me service." 



Akiel. 
'• Where ^he bee sucks, there suck I. 
In the cowslip's bell I lie. 
There I couch when owls do cry, 
On the bat's back I do fly 
After Summer, merrily. ■* 

Merrily, merrily shall I live now, 
Under the blossom that hangs on the bough." 

Pkospero. 
■' Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves 
And ye, that on the sands with printless foot 
Do chase the ebbing Neptune ; and do fly him. 
When he comes back ; you demy-puppets, that 
By moonshine do the green-sour ringlets make. 
Whereof the ewe not bites 5 and you, whose pastime 
Is to make midnight mushrooms — that rejoice 
To hear the solemn curfew — by whose aid 
(Weak masters though you be) I have be-dimmed 
The noon-tide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds, 
And 'twixt the green sea and the azur'd vault 
Set roaring war." 



^ R I E L. 



PKOSPEKO. 

Spirit of Bermuda's Isle ! 

How dost tliou dare to murmur now ? 
Say where liatli fled thy sunny smile, 

And where the beauty of thy brow ? 
Thou wert within the trunk confined 

Of yonder ancient, hollow tree ; 
I heard thy moaning on the wind, 

And brought thee forth and set thee free, 
At morn on Andes' peaks to stand, 

With lightning wdngs and magic skill, 
Where both the oceans kiss the land ! 

At noon, through groves of limes to sail, 
Or skim across the smooth savanna, 

Or shelter in the shady vale. 
Beneath the waving, wild banana. 

And murmurest thou at my behest ? 
What though I bid thee still the storm. 



20 ARIEL. 

Or chase tlie sun down in the west 



'T is mine to say — thine to conform. 
Why wearest thou these mournful looks, 

Whene'er thy rapid race is run ? 
Thine eyelids o'er their brimful brooks 

Droop sad as poppies in the sun ; 
And like IS'arcissus, by the stream, 

You gaze upon the waters clear, 
Until you break the charmed dream 

By drop]3ing in the pool a tear. 
Then speak, I bid thee, and disclose 

The reason wdiy you droop and sigh. 
Unfold each secret like the rose, 

"Who bares her bosom to the sky! — 

ARIEL. 

Great Master ! at thy beck I 've flown 

From frozen seas to torrid zone. 

O'er ocean waves I 've sped my flight 

Where Borealis gilds the night. 

And 'neath the polar lamps, whose hues 

The lunar rainbow's lights diffuse. 

Or iceberg city's thousand towers, 

With glass green walls and frozen flowers,- 

Where sun and moon with wintry fires 

Illume a million icy spires ; 

I 've stood upon the Arctic shore. 

And heard the heaven rending roar 



ARIEL. 21 

Of frozen mountains' giant forms 
Moved throngli the sea by linrtling storms. 
Jar 'gainst eacli other with such shock 
As would have rift the Tristan Eock, 
And, in the overwliehning crash, 
Beheld the ice-born fires flash, 
Which reddened all the sea below 
With flames upon the froth of snow ! 
For thee, I 've darted to the south, 
And stood at the volcano's mouth, 
When far below the lava boiled. 
Came bubbling up, and then recoiled ; 
For thee, I 've shot like beams of light, 
And passed the Condor in his flight, 
When he, from Chimborazo's brow, 
With downward flight the mist did plough, 
Cutting the clouds and ether through. 
Towards the deep vales of rich Peru ! 
Then o'er the Carib Sea did glide. 
Returning ever to thy side. 

PKOSPEEO. 

Ungrateful Spirit ! dost forget 

Who it was that set thee free ? 
Thou wouldst have been a prisoner yet 

'Nov known the joys of liberty. 
Is it no pleasure, now^, to come 

Along the Oronoco's vale, 



22 A K r E L . 

Where trees distil ambrosial gnm, 

And with their perfume load tlie gale, 
'Mid broad-leaved groves of green pawpaws, 

And trees that weight of figs oppress, 
Pill'd with the flaming red macaws 

Whose din disturbs the wilderness ? — 
Is it not joy to trace the walls 

Where buried El Dorado lies, 
And tread its subterranean halls. 

Lit up by gems of thousand dyes ? 
Where in the glowing niche there stands 

Of priceless pearl the magic vase. 
Bright as the Moon from God's own hand. 

When first she kiss'd the Ocean's face ! 
Oft I have let thee roam o'er isles 

Whose sands are blanched as Greenland's snow. 
Where many a white Magnolia smiles, 

And wildwood roses bloom below ; 
And thou hast sailed from East to West, 

From tallest mount to darkest dell, 
But there's a secret in thy breast, — 

I fain would know it, Ariel. 

AKIEL. 

Pray chide me not ; both sun and rain 
At thy strong bidding I have stood. 

And stemmed the rushing hurricane 
Which roared within the warrins: wood. 



\ p. T E r. . 23 

When the huge pophir's arms came down 

Upon some monster oak's broad crest, 
And cleft him throngh the very crown, 

And hnrled him to the earth's dark breast. 
For thee, I 've songht the battle's roar, 

Where clonds of smoke obscnred the snn, 
When cannon shook the trembling shore, 

And red the smoking river run. 
And w^here the plague with poison breath 

Made grass grow in the city's street. 
And, o'er the noiseless pavements. Death 

Stalked night and day in lone retreat. 
For thee, I 've sunk into the sea 

A thousand frightful fathoms steep. 
With shadowy monsters chasing me 

Through coral caves and whirlpools deep, 
Whose eyes glared at me through the waves 

Like spectre fires from out a bog, 
That shimmer o'er the sodden graves. 

Or struggle through the clammy fog. 
And where the Earthquake Spirit pent 

Doth groan within the world's great heart, 
Till, bursting through, the rocks are rent. 

And towards the centre mountains start ! — 
And, were it Spring or Summer time, 

Or Autumn, with her golden crest. 
For thee I've flown from clime to clime, 

From ITorth to South, from East to West ! 



24: ARIEL. 



PEOSPERO. 



Have I not shown tliee where to trace 
The cities of the long lost race 
Who, ere the Monteznmas reigned, 
Their gorgeons state of gold maintained, 
Commanding all the lands there be 
'Twixt Coi'dilleras and the sea, 
And rose to snch a pitch of j)ride 
They God and I^atnre's self denied ? 
l^ow o'er their gorgeons towers wave 
Trees hnge and hoar, a greenwood grave ! 
Where, hanging from those sj)ectre trees, 
The shrond-like ivy wooes the breeze, 
And in the depths of forests lone 
Green idols stand, of sightless stone, 
With lifeless eyes, so fixed in state, 
Death's self were not so desolate ! 
And there was seen the i3ride of man. 
Before the downfall of Copan ; 
And there did earthly grandenr rise 
Till vieing with Divinity's ! 
Prond Power, sitting in her fane. 
Long held high heaven in mad disdain, 
Until the wrath of God was hnrled 
Upon a terror stricken world ; 
And, seizing towers by the crown. 
He hnrled them on the scofi'ei's down, 



ARIEL. 25 



Burying all beneath the wreck, 
Like ocean o'er a vessel's deck ! 
And gave this lesson to mankind — 
Obedience to the Master Mind ! 



AEIEL. 

Oh ! have I e'er from duty swerved, 

Or failed to mark a word of thine, 
Or how hath Ariel now deserved 

'J^eath thy reproach and wrath to pine ? 
Whene'er a thought thou hast conceived, 

Or nursed a wdsh within thy breast, 
I 've flown, the moment I perceived, 

To execute thy mind's behest — 
My spirit's nature thy control 

Hath ever willingly obeyed, 
But I have half a human soul, 

And more than love of mortal maid. 
One morn, w^ithin 'mid air, I met 

A being in an angel's guise, 
I see her form in memory yet, 

And heaven's light is in her eyes ! 
'T was th'en my earthly nature knew 

Such love as springs 'neatli tropic skies, 
And forth on buoyant wings I flew, 

To greet this guest from Paradise ; 
I met her, with a kindly kiss, 

And told her, should I e'er be free, 
2 



26 A K I E L . 

With her I 'd share Elysium's bliss^ 

And rapture through eternity ! 
We parted — and her eyes were full 

Of love's bright tears of joyousness ; 
She lied — with all life's beautiful, 

And left my heart a wilderness. 
Then, Master ! let me turn to her, 

And share life's lot of weal or woe, 
Grei t Master ! clip the gossamer 

Which binds me here, and bid me go ! 

PEOSPEEO. 

Alas ! I now can fully see, » 

Love overcomes Philosophy ! 

And all the hopes with thee I cherished, 

In this sad hour all have perished ; 

The soul, no matter how refined. 

Still yearneth to be with its kind, 

And though of ice be formed its chains, 

They melt — as snows dissolve in rains ; 

The seed, which lies within the ground, 

Where all is frozen and j^rofound. 

If one fond smile rests on its face 

Springs forth a plant, and blooms apace ! 

Thus Love within the heart takes root. 

And one kind look perfects its fruit ! — 

Oh, Love ! thou art a mystery 

Through whose strange depths no eye can see ; 



A K I E L . 27 

But those who stand within thy ring 

May hear strange airy spirits sing 

With notes like birds in feathered gold 

Which flocked through Eden's groves of old ; 

May look above, and see, o'er liead, 

A rainbow's brilliant beauties spread, 

Which sendetli down its purple beams 

Like sunset's light on silver streams ; 

May see an image in the air 

Than Moslem houri's self more fair. 

Whose eyes of liquid light, seem set 

Like silver stars on seas of jet ! — 

Then rather seek to hide the sun, 

Than gain from Love what he hath won. 



AKIEL. 

Then thou wilt give me Liberty 

To join the spirit throngs which rise 
From mountain tops, and upward flee 

To belt the moon, who walks the skies, — 
Shall I be free to tread yon rack 

Of billowy clouds, where lightnings dance, 
And sport along its bank of black. 

Fringed with a diamond radiance ? 
And now to soar aloft so far 

Tliat earth in distance fades away. 
And then like some swift falling star 

Drop to the precincts of the day ! 



ARIEL. 

To be with her whose eye so bright 

Makes moments, Joy's eternity ! — 
And lovely, as when first the light 

Looks o'er the darkened Polar sea. 
I 've sometimes said, I would forget 

The magic of each witching word, 
But when I see those eyes of jet 

My heart is spell-bound like a bird. 
I left her, that I might not see 

That form which charmed my raptured eyes, 
But silent e'en through vacancy 

The lovely vision would arise ; 
And all things 'round did seem to glow 

From that sweet presence, pure and bright, 
And when she turned her wings to go 

The star of beauty sunk in night ! 
Then chide me not with thy reproof. 

But bid me free forever rove, 
Through yon blue woof of heaven's roof, 

To star-lit realms with her I love. 

PEOSPEKO. 

Seest thou upon the verge of day 

Fair cities in the clouds ?■ — Away ! 

And there thine eye amazed shall see 

Utopia's rare mystery. 

Dark discord treadeth not those plains. 

But green crowned peace there smiling reigns j 



ARIEL. 29 

The lifted sword which Anger rears 

Doth melt like ice, and turns to tears ; 

And o'er the grave of blood-red War 

Hangs the bright lamp of Friendship's star. 

Spirit ! mark thy Master say 

That centuries shall pass away ! 

Before this earthly sphere shall see 

The hollow fraud of majesty. 

The mockery of kingly robe. 

And jewelled crown, that rule the globe, 

The sceptered hand, whose tyrant sway 

May sweep the breath of life away — 

These all shall vanish — all that deck 

The pride of kings, shall be a wreck ! 

But from those ruins shall arise 

New temples which shall pierce the skies. 

And there fair Freedom all alone 

Shall sit supreme upon her throne. 

And scatter justice far and even 

Like manna dropping down from heaven ! 

Shall raise her hand to stay the strong. 

Uphold the weak, and crush the wrong ; 

And fairest of all lands of earth 

Shall be the land which gave her birth. 

And it shall bear the name of Blest — 

The home of Freedom in the West ! . . . . 

The charm that bound the gentle sprite, 
Like to a loosened chain now fell. 



30 ARIEL. 

And bending his "bright wings for flight, 

Up mounted nnthralled Ariel, — 
And as a dart loosed from the bow 

Flies through the whistling, parted air, 
His many colored pinions glow 

O'er Chimborazo's forehead bare ; 
Above the Andes' pinnacle 

His upward course he cleft afar. 
Till the bright form of Ariel 

In distance dwindled to a star ! 
The Condor, hermit of the height. 

Saw from his crag that spirit soar, 
Bed streaming, through the ebon night, 

Like some swift shooting meteor, — 
And through the cloud he could define. 

With speed which nothing could retard. 
Fast running on the lightning's line, 

Ariel, hastening heavenward ! 
The mountain mist before his wings 

Fell off like flakes of feathery snow^, 
Or as from flying shallop springs 

The foamy surf, w^hen tempests blow ; 
But through the seeming solid cloud 

Like to the new sprung arrow's flight. 
Through vapor and through fog he ploughed, 

Up to the ether's undimmed light — 
His speed increasing as he went. 

That none could say that he was here 
Ere distant in the firmament 



ARIEL. 

His form was liid hj far off sphere I— 
No lake or ocean field so wide 

Nor filled with isles so tliick and vast 
As that broad space through which he hied, 

As steering through the stars he passed ; 
And still, as mounting higher, higher, 
His graceful head he turned about, 
He saw the earth, a spark of fire, 

A moment, and it faded out ! 
Still through the ocean of the air 

Without a guide, witliout a chart. 
He laid his level wings all bare. 

Steered by the magnet of the heart ! 
But as through endless worlds he ranged, 

Dark doubts his soul's high hopes obscure, 
For all the heaven's face seemed changed 

And lost his former cynosure. 
Now came the goblins, strange and dread. 

And grinned upon him as he passed. 
And forms, phantasmal like the dead, 

Came rushing on the rising blast ; 
Strange serpents from the stars of flame, 

Rose up with many a crimson crest. 
And eldrick shapes, without a name. 
Threw flakes of fire on his breast ; 
From pools of smoking, seething tar. 

Black griflins streams of lava hissed. 
And mailed dragons waging war. 
Roared in the half concealing mist ; 



3i 



82 ARIEL. 

Perplexed beyond expression j^ast. 

He fled as flies the cannon ball, 
While at his skirt, pursuing fast. 

Came wizard legions, screaming all : 
I^Tow haste thee ! haste thee Ariel ! 

For thou art in accursed spheres ; 
But lo ! the limit of their spell — 

A realm of loveliness appears ; 
A world, inclosed in rainbow hues, 

Wrapped in a robe of golden mist ; 
A land where silver rivers lose 

Themselves in plains of amethyst ! 
In through the gate of cloudy w^alls 

The worn one passed — a gate whose dyes 
Were like the holy light which falls 

Through great church windows from the skies. 
He paused, to rest upon a bank, 

And, bent to the refreshing tide, 
He of the silver w^aters drank. 

And instant was revivified ! — 
There gold and silver fishes flew, 

And in the sunshine shook the fin ; 
The nautilus sailed o'er the blue 

And zepliyr filled his sail so thin ; 
The young gazelle, from out the bowers, 

Came up, and gently kissed his hand ; 
Tlien bounded off among the flowers 

Where jasmines beautified the land — 
Where, with the dew, musk-roses wet, 



ARIEL. 33 

Heavy with diamond riclmess bent, 
And with its breath the violet 

AVith sweets made Zephyr redolent ; 
And pink crape-myrtles, dense in bloom, 

Were like the morning's fleecy mist 
That blushes in the fading gloom 

When by the rising sun 't is kissed. 

This was a planet that gave birth 
To all that's beautiful of earth. 
And endless magic things beside 
The earth hath never yet descried. 
For here, by strange unfathomed cause 
l^ature had not her mundane laws. 
For Iceland lichen made a bride 
Of Egypt's lily, side by side, — 
And ferns that wave 'mid northern snows, 
With fingery leaves enclasped the rose, 
And tropic palm trees laid their charms 
Within the mountain oak's rough arms— 
The banian, like Briareus stood 
With hundred arms — itself a wood ! — • 
While the great western poplar, proud, 
Hid its tall head within a cloud ! — • 
The thick green cedar caught the sun 
As golden as on Lebanon ! — 
And while low dogwoods rained around 
Their snow-like blossoms on the ground, 
Aloft magnolia's hands held up 
2^- 



84: A E I E L . 

To angel lips its spotless cup ! 
While, red and white, the apple bloom 
Sent forth its delicate perfume ; 
And polished leaves of green enfold 
The hanging orange fruit of gold ; 
Entwined among the sloe's black berries 
Scarlet glowed the pendent cherries. 
And bending to the daisy's reacli 
"With downy cheek the velvet peach, 
And saffron through the whole savanna 
The yellow, clustering banana. 

Such were the groves beside that flood, 

That silver river flowing calm, 
Where winds all wafted from the wood, 

A thousand odors, as one .balm ; 
And the bright sands upon the shore 

Were spotted with a million shells, 
And hues as bright within them bore 

As dyed the blossoms' painted bells ; 
And in the caverns deep and wide, 

Where Echo answered every wave, 
A thousand flowers petrified. 

Lived like our hopes within the grave ; 
And every rock upon that shore 

Was sprinkled thick Vvdth sparkling gems, 
And coral trees whose branches bore 

Diamonds, fit for diadems ; 
And there the snow-wdiite Swan of Peace 



ARIEL. B$ 

Sat en tlie wave, and sang so rare, 



» 

,'-, 



The mermaid rose with dripping hair ! 
And when that wizard strain was heard, 

As landward borne off by the breeze, 
There came a note back from each bird 

That liannted those celestial trees ; 
The nightingale poured out her soul. 

The thrush gave his melodious call, 
Then j)iped the scarlet oriole, 

And mocking-birds repeated all — 
And every spray did find a tongue 

From minstrels of the bright hued wing. 
Until it seemed the air that sung ! 

And every living leaf could sing ! 

N^ot greatly distant from this sphere 
• Another realm lay wide outspread, 
'Not farther than a spirit's ear 

Can hear the faintest word that 's said, 
Yet could the sight of man not pierce 

The space empyrean 'twixt the twain ; 
For there from brazen clouds so fierce 

Poured the broad torrent of a golden rain ; 
Light spread above — light lay below — 

And yet no sun was stationed there, 
God's Fountain vast did overflow. 

And light was everyw^here ! 
And every form which there did move 



36 A R I E L . 

Glowed like a sun-smit wave at noon, 
Save one — whose sorrow dimmed her love, 

Soft as the semi-shadow^ed moon. 
She once was one whose rising made 

The noontide dark — so bright she gleamed ! 
'Till haply toward the earth she strayed. 

And of its love iirst dreamed. 
This dimmed that pnrer feeling which. 

Within empyrean circles, fills 
The sonl with that afflatus rich 

Whose presence gives extatic thrills. 
She was the living, moving Fike, 

So bright and matchless in each sense ; 
Her hands enchanted heaven's lyre, 

Her look each blessed intelli2:ence. 
Now hid she in the one dark spot, 

The sole dim space within that sphere, 
And tried from Memory's page to blot 

Her sorrow, with a tear. 
Secluded, sad, where woe had made 

Her sable bower, dark in leaf, 
She sighed, in solitary shade. 

Her irremediable grief. 
Amid the saddened, twilight grove, 

I^ow that her golden light was pale, 
She drooped her head with hopeless love, 

And mournful, melancholy wail. 
Her form was substance ; yet so fair. 

So thin, so slight, so frail — the mist 



ARIEL. 37 

111 incorporeal air 

Seems tliiis, wlien Morn hatli kissed. 
'T was lonely Llama ; every leaf 

About lier, tlirew a sombre gloom, 
The flowers seemed bent with weight of grief, 

And heavy each perfume ; 
The ivy twined above her head. 

Dark moss trailed at her feet. 
The weeping-willow's tears were shed, 

And poison bitter-sweet. 
'Mid the brown shadows drooped each plant, 

As blasted by a deadly spell, 
From that strange spirit which doth haunt 

Each unfrequented dell ; 
The thorny henbane's golden fruit, 

The nightshade's fatal berries blue. 
And mandrake, with its forked root. 

All thick about her grew. 
Her grief was dumb — it had no words 

To speak her lost estate, 
It touched the very hearts of birds, 

She was so desolate. 
Voiceless she sate, and paled away 

Like roses in a sunless dell ; 
Yet murmured sighs, which seemed to say — 

Alas ! my loved, lost Ariel ! 
Whilst thus she drooi)'d she heeded not 

Tlie sun-bright spirits sweeping by, ; 

The disembodied souls forgot, 



38 ARIEL. 

Whose trains went trooping tlirongli the sky- 
Heard not the <; hanting cherubs' song, 

The seraphs' sacred anthem swell, 
But one voice small 'mid all the throng, 

And that voice came from Ariel ! 
Quick from her shade embrowned grove 

She rose, and spread her wings so fair, 
And sweeping with the thoughts of love. 

Rushed star-like through the air ! — • 
Her golden locks, which late had hung 

Around her like a streaming fount, 
Were loosely now behind her flung. 

Like sunset light from western mount. 
She paused no instant to behold 

Created thing in heaven above. 
But shot between the globes of gold, 

A winged dart of Love. 
And still the sad voice "Llama 1" cried, 

And nearer yet she heard its tones ; 
To right nor left she turned, but hied 

Fast through the rainbow zones. 
Behold, the sought-for goal is won ! 

And Ariel she sees, 
And came descending to her own, 

Like sunshine through the trees ! — 

But Ariel was yet alone 

Amid this fairy paradise. 
And with his bright blue orbs up thrown, 



ARIEL. 39 

He filled the woodland with his sighs — 
" Llama ! Llama ! oh, my love ! 

Llama, whom I most adore !" 
"Llama," whispered all the grove, 

And "Llama," echoed back the shore. 
A sudden came a rush of wings, 

A gentle rustle as of silk, 
A form aside the sunlight Hings, 

A form descending, white as milk. 
Oh ! not the poet's wildest trance, 

Jl^or painter sees in Fancy's spell, 
A vision of such radiance 

As lighted now by Ariel : 
Her form was as a statue white, 

Which stands within the moon's full blaze, 
Encircled in a robe of light. 

As golden as the noontide's rays. 
This Splendor wore such shining wings 

That earth like dazzling hues doth lack, 
For seemed it where each pinion springs 

A rainbow shining at her back ! 
Her hair was like a golden flame 

Tossed by the gale when winds are high ! 
And light and darkness cannot name 

The day and night within her eye. 
Upon her clear wdiite cheek a blush 

With warm, transparent beauty glows, 
As if the summer roses flush, 

Were lifted up through winter's snows ! 



4:0 ARIEL. 

Her swelling bosom's coral tips 

Were like camelias in the bud ! 
And full and moist her shell-like lips 

Glowed with her rich vermilion blood- 
Her arms around his form she flung, 

And to his cheek her lips she pressed, 
His neck her locks of gold o'erhung. 

As she reclined upon his breast. 
Upon their velvet mossy bed 

They rested, 'neath the giant oak, 
Their smiles expressed all that they said, 

Their eyes alone it was that spoke — 
The deep extatic thrill of bliss. 

All earth's beatitude -above, ■. 
Joy's magical electric kiss. 

The nameless rapture known as Love 1 
x- * -^ ^ * * 

Behold ! now streaming through the air 
A legion spirits swift repair. 
From every sphere. 
Afar and near : 

From realms of fire — realms of ice — • 
Haste to the Peri's paradise ! — 
From their subterranean homes 
Troops of graceful, gentle gnomes , 
Salamanders on the wing. 
Hither flock, and coming, sing. 
Tall white angels through the clouds 
Congregate in smiling crowds. 




And last cai-ne great King Oberon, 
By whom the service must be done. 
The bigti priest of the fairy spheres. 
The minister of ministers 



A E I E L . 41 

In spotted cloaks of emerald sheen 
Faiiy swarms skim up the green, 
While forth from all the leafy wood 
Spring the elfin mnltitude — 
And little men, in mantles grey. 
And green-robed fauns in great array. 
The hidden dryads from the bowers. 
And sylphs that leap from out the flowers, 
And nymphs that rise from wavy swells, 
And fays that hum in hollow shells. 
All collect in countless throng, 
To chant the joyous marriage song, — 
And last came great King Oberon, 
By whom the service must, be done, 
The high priest of the fairy spheres, 
The minister of ministers ! — 
The mighty monarch said the banns. 
Joined Ariel and Llama's hands. 
And then uprose the anthem swell — • 
A hoUo^v moon swung like a bell 
Tolling in thunder peals a chime 
Whose music checked the march of Time ! 
Filling the vast blue arch around 
With one grand symphony of sound, 
'Till all the air seemed like a sea 
Whose rolling waves were melody ! 
And from the vast unnumbered throng, 
Outbm'st the cataract of song ! 



42 ARIEL. 



CANTAR. 

Welcome back to Fairy Land ! 

Loved and long lost spirit ! 
All the joys tliat we command, 

Tliou shalt 3^et inherit. 

Oberon is calling, — ^liaste ! 

Every spirit hear his spell, 
I^ot a moment longer waste, 

Come ! and welcome Ariel ! 

Chorus — Welcome back, &c. 

Come ! from out the ocean deep, 
From the hidden cavern's cell, 

l^or in flowers longer sleep, 
Haste ! to greet our Ariel — 

Welcome, &c. 

Water spirits sound the strain 

On the spotted horns of shell, 
Send this echo 'neatli the main, 

Joy to long lost Ariel ! 

Welcome, &c. 



Fairies ! of the moss and turf. 
Ring ye every blossom's bell, 

Answer back the roaring surf, 
Joy ! to new found Ariel ! 



Welcome, &g. 



ARIEL. 

Sprites ! that liauht tlie twilight groves, 

In the shade embrowned dell, 
Come ! and j oin the new fonnd loves. 

Of Llama, and of Ariel ! 

Welcome, &c. 

Come o'er snow^s, and come o'er sands, 

From mount and plain, from brake and fell, 

O'er, wood and wave, and join our bands. 
That welcome gentle Ariel ! 

Welcome &c. 

Evil spirits ! Oberon 

Bids ye all avaunt to Hell ! 
Demon, witch and hag begone ! 

Come good alone to Ariel. 

Welcome, &c. 

But hark ! the cock proclaims the dawn ! 

And wakens warbling Philomel, 
Ye million elves at once begone ! 

Leave Llama with her Ariel. 

Welcome, &c. 



They scatter' d like a misty cloud! 

And all the air gave one, farewell ! 
And left alone of all that crowd, 

Fair Llama, with her Ariel ! 



43 



DEDICATION. 



TO THE 



HON. elAMES T. MOEEHEAD, 



EX-GOVERNOR OF KENTUCKY. 



I take my theme from views by thee expressed, 
Of one whose life was truly strange and great — 
The first Backwoodsman of the mighty West — 
The true fore-runner ; fore-ordained by Fate. 
And if upon these humble lines should rest 
A shadow from thy flame of burning thought, 
'T will prove thy words were on my mind impressed, 
And one bright spark from thy empyrean caught. 



DA.NIEL BOONEe 



This is no psean sung to ancient kings, 

In olden times 'mid oriental things ; 

ISTot Babylon, in all her fallen pride, 

JSTor ruined Memj^his by the !Nihis' side, 

ISTor tale of Tarshish, mistress of the sea, 

E'or yet Phoenicia, nor the dark Chaldee, 

^OY Greece, nor Home, before their mighty fall — 

Who now are nothing, once the head of all ; 

And, not to speak of each hard fought Crusade, 

Where Christian hosts met Paynim blade to blade ; 

'Nov Moors chivalric in their warlike day, 

Who held old Spain for years in constant bay ; 

IS'or, later still, when great ^Napoleon's host 

Made Europe tremble, e'en to Egypt's coast — 

But o'er Atlantic's undulating breast 

To those wild lands within the far, far West, 

We take our thoughts, and to the times gone by, 

But scarcely faded from the living eye . 



48 DANIEL BOONE. 

Three centuries and but a lialf have passed 

Since first Columbus, with his genius vast, 

Proclaimed to Europe, like Omnipotence, 

A new found world, of magnitude immense. 

Soon thousands came, and settled on its shore, 

And coming years but made that number more 

And near the margin of the ocean tide 

From N^orth to South the multitude spread wide ; 

Still keeping to the Gulf and seaward beach. 

Beyond the native Indian's savage reach. 

From where St. Lawrence rushes to the main. 

To Guatemala's idol studded ]3lain. 

The country's lay all as yet unknown 

As El Dorado's monarch's gilded throne — 

An endless space of wilderness and waste, 

"Which none but tribes of native men had traced. 

There Speculation turned her puzzled eye. 

And doubt to doubt uncertain made reply, 

As in a cavern 'neath some waterfall. 

An echo answers to an echo's call ; 

Yet still perplexed and wond'ring stood the world, 

And Mystery's wings were o'er the forest furled. 

Then one arose whose object was to find 
A spot to suit his nature and his mind ; 
Some vast, untrodden, scarce discovered place. 
To feed his passion in the silent chase. 
Before him lay unmeasured space of wood, 
The mountain crags, the bai-rens, and the flood ; 



D A N I E L B O O N 1^: . 4-9 

But ail unknown— like fog-kid forests seen 
Where sunlight rays by chance do intervene, 
A partial light, Vvdiich only at the best 
Serves to obscure and mystify the rest. 
The people stood, as though before some cave, 
Vast, unexplored and fearful as the grave ; 
All wished to solve the doubt of this new land, 
But no one stirred among the hardy band ; 
'T was as a sphere of shadows, newly found, 
Where strangest things were hid in mist profound ; 
Where phantoms grey in fancy's vision strayed. 
And loneliness walked silent through the shade ; 
Where ambushed danger like the coiled snake, 
With green eyes lurked behind the darksome brake ; 
But danger, darkness, and the unknown wild, 
Held no control o'er E'ature's chosen child ; 
For in the heart of Daniel Boone there burned 
A flame not made to be by terror turned ; 
One thought lit up the recess of his breast. 
One aim — one goal, to know the lonely West ; 
This lived within him, like his pulse's flow^. 
And lit his soul with one bright, ardent glow ; 
And, Quietude ! such was thy wond'rous spell, 
For thee, he bade the world and home farewell, 
AYalked like a palmer to thy forest throne, 
Came to thy mystic shrine, one man, alone ! 

O Solitude ! dumb, forest-haunting maid. 
Whose constant walk is in the trackless shade, 



50 I) A N I E L B O O N E . 

How doth thy sad, sweet face attract the mind 
From human homes and thoughts of human kind, 
To stand with thee where ^jrecipices stand. 
Like Nature's towers, looking o'er the land, 
And see beneath some river rolling by, 
Reflecting back the cloud shapes of the sky, 
While trembling shadows of the sycamore 
Dance on the weaves, and then upon the shore. 
To hear the bittern scream its discord, shrill, 
And echo answer from the leafy hill ; 
To see the deer come fearful to the brink, 
Step lightly in the cooling stream and drink 
Taught thus to tremble by the Indian's aim, 
The dark-eyed hunter stealing on the -game. 
Whose moccasins ujDon the leaves are heard, 
Light as the tread of summer's smallest bird. 
O Solitude ! in scenes like this, thou art 
The sole companion of the silent heart. 
And, when the hunter, on a mossy log 
Sees at his feet his ever faithful dog. 
Thou sitt'st beside him, when none else are near, 
And breathing gentle wdiispers in his ear. 
In such a sweet and melancholy tone. 
That man forgets he sitteth there alone. 
And only feels thy soft and soothing sighs. 
And only sees thy dark and dreamy eyes. 

There is a stihiess in the ocean caves. 
Unbroken, save by gurgling sound of waves ; 



DANIELBOONE. 61 

There is a silence in those weedy trees 

Whose roots are in the ooze-bed of the seas, 

Whose fan-like leaves move with the giant sway 

Of mountain billows in their Titan play. 

The desert hath its undisturbed calm, 

Where sleeping stand the broad-leaved groves of palm ; 

And in those caverns, far beneath the ground, 

Where day comes not, and neither doth a sound, 

There is a silence more profound than reigns 

Where Lake Asphaltum, on Judea's plains, 

Hests its broad waters, moveless, dark, and dead, 

In one black pool o'er Sodom's guilty head. 

Yet on the earth there's still another spot 

Where dreariness and loathsome death are not ; 

But silence — deep as was upon the waste 

Of "waters, ere Jehovah's mandate chased 

Old Chaos, with a motion of his hand, 

Beyond the far and phantom peopled land. 

No, Solitude ! thy temple had no fane : 
'T was that unbounded wilderness of cane 
That spread o'er all the mighty valley's space. 
Wide o'er the land, and thick in every place, 
Now crowding in among the lofty trees. 
Excluding light, and barring half the breeze — 
One mass of foliage, making daylight dim. 
Where green vines crept upon the dogwood's limb ; 
The shade below ga^e Summer's day a gloom, 
And emerald leaves entwined the snowy bloom ; 



52 DANIELBOONE. 

Or when the Spirit of the Fall had crossed 
And touched the tangled thicket tops with frost, 
First gold came o'er the green, and then the reel. 
And, save the cane's dark foliage, all was dead ; 
Then Winter, from a sable cloud, at night. 
Dropped to the earth in robe of ermine-white. 
And, at the mandate of his mighty spells, 
A thousand oaks are hung with icicles. 
At morn, the sun on dark green pines doth glance, 
And every bough sustains an icy lance, 
Which trickles tears to see the noon's warm face, 
And with the wind comes rattling doAvn apace, 
"While back and forth the giant tree tops sway. 
And limbs crack loud as warmer waxes day ; 
But when the sun sinks red again at night. 
Old Winter o'er the leafless wood takes flight, 
And from his wrings shakes down the fleecy snow, 
Till hill and dale are white wdth it below. 

The brown deer cropt the season's last grown shoot ; 

The pigeons plucked the purple wild grape's fruit ; 

The glossy turkeys fanned away the leaves 

For nuts which earth from beechen boughs receives ; 

The yellow-hammers picked the crimson drops 

Which hung like coral from the dogwood tops ; 

At eventide, when all beside was still. 

The pheasant thundered from the woody hill ; 

As shades fell 'round, the bear roamed on his track. 

And liowliug wolves assembled then their j)ack ; 



J) A N I E L B O O N E . 63 

Tlie stealthy panther waited for the doe 
That browsed along, indifferently slow ; 
The' red man sought his quiet wigwam's rest 
When day's bright god grew i:)aler in the west, 
And stretching out the skins of buffaloes, 
While branches burned, he took his rude repose. 
Bold was the heart that dared to brave that wild 
Where danger lurked, but outward :N"ature smiled. 

Ye pale faced babes, who breathe a city's air. 

Of scenes like these, one glance would give despair ; 

Ye nurslings, sleeping on your beds of down. 

Whose roughest day is summer's passing frown. 

Thus in the wilds, and all so lonely placed. 

How soon would ye returmng steps have traced ! 

]^ot so with Boone : with watchful care he trod 

The trackless wilds, and trusted in his God ; 

He found a land — oh ! not the wildest dream 

Of wildest poet, could surpass the theme — 

A giant forest ; oaks and poplars high 

Spread their broad branches to the smiling sky, 

Their bodies, like some temple's pillars, propped 

The leafy dome, which greenly overtojDped 

The verdant soil, and self-created bowers 

Which kept the sun of noontide from the flowers. 

In sylvan groups beneath each forest lord, 

The triple shadow on the grassy sward, 

First waved the blue-bells o'er the heath below. 

On these the vines their tremblino^ shadows throw. 



64 DAKIELBOONE. 

Whilst high o'er all, the trees swing to and fro : 
And oftentimes the pleased eye might see, 
Far as the sight conld reach, unendingly, 
The golden cup and crowfoot in their pride, 
The violet and May-flower beside, 
And flaming pinks, that mingled in their red. 
And shed a blush upon the larkspur's head ; 
The dew-drops resting on their lij^s would throw 
The fairies' rainbow in each cup below — 
One sheet of bright and ever changing bloom 
Which shed a light and delicate perfume — 
And here and there a circle smooth was seen 
Usurped by grass, and velvet mosses green, 
A spot where roving elks, perchance," liad fed, 
And stripped the berries from the Arrow's head, 
Or hunter, haply, rested for the night, 
And then again began his chase by light ; 
For here no Indian made his dwelling-place, 
I^ay, not a soul of all the red man's race 
Called this his home — it was a sacred spot, 
Where many roamed, but here they rested not. 
It was the throne of dark-eyed Mystery, 
The Deity of Indian history ! 

Along the lakes the early trappers roved, 
Along the gulf the stately vessels moved ; 
The cornfields on the eastern border grew. 
And now and then a single lone canoe 
Would bear a curious traveller w^est, 



DANIEL BOONE. 



55 



Upon the Mississippi's breast ; 

Or on Ohio's bosom bhie and bright, 

Skim like a cloud that sails along at night, 

With naught to break the forest silence, save 

The dipping paddle in the shining wave. 

The inner vault of Isis' shrine of old, 

Where stood the mystic One, in cloth of gold, 

Was not more sacred than that broad domain, 

ISTor more man's home than is the restless train 

Of waves, which chase each other, through the sea, 

In one wild, sparkling race unendingly, 

Was this strange land. It w^as a place to roam, 

And think — green earth its floor, blue skies its dome. 

1^0 palace reared its pointed turrets high, 

1^0 minaret was gleaming in the sky, 

Nor there the cresent, nor the cross was seen, 

But one imending temple, decked in green ; 

Its spires, the tall pines that proudly grew 

Upon the hills and kissed the heaven's blue ; 

Its cloister, those dark unfrequented dells, 

Wherein the Thrush is minister, and swells 

His happy hymn when Day looks down the steep, 

Where shadows still within the valley sleep. 

He wakes his song, and then from tree to tree, 

Floats a rich strain from kindred minstrelsy, 

Until the mimic Echo gaily mocks 

Their choir, from his cavern in the rocks ; 

But as the sun grows higher in the sky, 

Their songs are hushed, and one by one they die, 



56 DANIEL BOONE. 

Till, at the noon, like lioly monks at prayer, 
IsTo cliaunt doth break the stilness of the air ; 
But when the Evening, clothed in shadows, treads 
The monntain side, and o'er the valley spreads 
The veil of smoke, which issues from the nrn 
Where ISTight's sweet odors fresh from flowers burn, 
Sweetly again the thrush's vespers swell. 
While Day's fair form grows dimmer dowm the dell, 
And faint, and fainter, dies each sound away, 
And darkness seems scarce stiller than the day. 
Oh ! to the heart that w^ould commune alone, 
This spot seemed nearest the eternal throne ; 
And fit to give most holy thought its birth, 
For heaven appeared to mingle with the earth. 
Here, Liberty ! thy spirit bird might sing. 
While sunbeams slept upon its golden wing, 
'Nor dread the despot's arrow flying far, 
Shot from the bow of iron visaged War ; 
For here there rode no knight begirt in steel, 
I^or brayed the trumpet here its brassy peal ; 
No battle smoke sent up its dusky hue, 
To dim the sunshine or the heaven's blue ; 
But when death came, the rifle's keen report 
To terror's king the message brought in court ; 
Then all was still — no murmur ran along 
From tongue to tongue, and terrified the throng. 
But quiet reigned, as when the lightning's lance 
Tlirough some dark storm-cloud shoots with vivid 
glance, 



DANIELBOONE. 57 

And leaves all black, and silent as tlie grave 
Of one who sleeps within a sunless cave ! 

Strange, fair Kentucky ! though no cannon shook 
Thy giant hills, yet every stream and brook 
Could tell a tale, that somewhere on its course, 
Knife had met knife, and force encountered force, 
And tomahawks gleamed in the sunlight's flood, 
Descended swift, and dyed themselves in blood ! 
What then the feelings of the man that dared 
This perilled place, alone, and unprepared — 
"Who knew not that the hut which he should leave 
At daylight's dawn, would still be there at eve, 
Or only ashes left to tell the tale 
Where once its smoke arose above the vale ? 
For here no succor or support could aid 
The single hunter in the forest shade ; 
'No hand could stretch to give its kind supply, 
No ear to hear, or heed his helpless cry ; 
If sickness came, no eye to w^atch his bed, 
]^o soul to smooth the pillow 'neath his head, 
'No friendly face beside him sit, to cheer, 
Or tell old tales, to every bosom dear ; 
No loving wife, to mingle soul with soul. 
Like blended streams wliich with one current roll, 
No simple child his hours to beguile. 
To meet his look with upturned eye and smile, 
No hand to press his own with cordial clasp, 
And thrill his heart with friendsliip's fervid grasp. 

3* 



58 DANIEL BOONE. 

He saw no tear, save those the fountains shed ; 

And heavd no monrner, save the dove o'erhead; 

Tlie sable raven sweeping tlirongh the sky. 

Turned down on him his bare and burnished eye — 

Lured by the game he scented as he passed, 

His husky voice came croaking on the blast ; 

And o'er the height of woody mountain peaks, 

The circling eagle wheels aloft and shrieks. 

To hear beneath, his stranger footsteps press 

The brown leaves mid the silent wilderness. 

But still, to be alone, was not to pine, 

And Boone ! true loneliness was only thine. 

To stand upon some mountain's craggy crest, 

And see the sun sink silent in the west, 

The night's dark curtains drawn across day's red, 

And all the vale grow silent as the dead. 

Oh, then it is, when light's fair form hath flown, 

That man may feel how much he is alone. 

To sit at night beside thy cabin fire. 

And watch the flames of blazing wood expire, 

With statue Silence, dumb, and all alone. 

And not a voice to answer to thine own, 

iN^or household spirit for the empty chair : 

But noiseless Darkness, with her vacant stare. 

Peers through the shadows of the lonely room. 

Then seeks the forest with her sister. Gloom. 

'T was pleasant pastime in Arcadian groves. 
For shepherd Greeks to sing their youthful loves^ 



DAi^IEL BOONE. 59 

Blow on their pipes, and dance with maidens fair, 

When gently breathed the sweet Levantine air ; 

To stroll by towers falling to decay, 

And sport a life of luxury away, 

Roam 'neath the beeches weaving wreaths of flo"wers, 

Or, crushing grapes, in autumn's riper hours, 

Or sit 'mong lilies, in the willow's shade, 

And watch the falling of the bright cascade. 

In those green lands where winter is so mild. 

It scarcely chills the flower blooming wild,— 

All this was life's most bright and sunny side, 

Where spring began, ere autumn fairly died. 

As pleasure there, so peril here did rest. 

When Boone first probed the wildwoods of the west. 

Ye w^eaker babes, ye chance- exalted things. 

Whom cringing slaves and sycophants call kings, 

For all your state, how can ye dare to claim 

A wreath like Boone's from never dying fame ! — 

He walked as one that walketh in the dark ; 

Hope held his lamp, and fed its fairy spark. 

Till, far behind, some others saw his light 

As camping fires gleam through the foggy night. 

And marked his course, but still he is afar. 

As children find, who stand beneath a star ! 

But still they come — and lo ! the forests fade. 

But Boone yet wanders deeper in the shade. 

The wily savage to his cabin creeps. 

He hears their footsteps, even though he sleeps 



60 DANIEL BOONE. 

And wliere tliev thouglit the slumbering man to find, 

Hear but tlie wliistle of the j^assing wind. 

The hunter's gone ! the hidden foe appear — 

[N^ow search they every hiding phice that's near ; 

But he hath fled — and foiled the fearful foe, 

And swift, as flies the sudden started doe. 

He leaves between them mountain, vale and stream, 

Ere they can think him wakened from his dream. 

Lest they by tracks his line of flight should see. 

He swings from bough to bough, from tree to tree, 

Till, coming there, they lose of trace all sight, 

And deem him spirit who hath taken flight ! 

Nor was it strange — escaping oft unharmed — • 

That they should tliink the life he bore^vas charmed; 

For charmed it was, else how could one invade 

Kentucky's dark, impenetrable shade — 

Usurp the realm where erst the Indian's god 

Rode in the clouds, and on the waters trod ; 

Where mammoth monsters moved across the plain, 

And mowed down forests, like the hurricane ; 

Lay by the springs, like rocks, clifl' fallen, vast. 

And seized the deer or buflfalo that passed ? 

So when Boone came, there lay their giant bones. 

Half buried 'neath the mould'ring leaves and stones. 

And partly bare, like moss-clad trunks of trees ; 

Or wet green rocks, half hidden by the seas. 

As pillars of an ancient ruin, cast 

Upon the earth, which chronicle the past. 



DANIELBOONE. 61 

Time will roll on, the Eed Man's race be run, 
And from tlie Eocky Mountains to the sun, 
The last sole one shall cast his eyes, and see 
The Indian's god set for eternity. 
Then, on the heights, the spangled flag shall wave 
Above the savage sleeping in his grave ; 
Then, Boone ! thy solitary life will seem 
A wild romance — a picture from a dream. 
The aged grandsire with his child on knee, 
Will tell thy " strange eventful history" — ■ 
Describe thee, in thy suit of deer skin dressed, 
The FmsT Backwoodsman of the Mighty West. 



^L A-B ^M i^ 



" Here we rest.' 



It was amid Magnolias, 

With tlieir blossoms broad and white, 
An aged Indian warrior 

Encamped his troop at night ; 
They were weary with their jom-ney, 

And with travel, toil-oppressed, 
And they smiled to hear their leader say 

" Alabama " — Here we rest. 



The deer was in the thicket, 

And the bear was in the brake. 
And from the broad-leaved plant looked out 

The bright-eyed rattle-snake ; 
But they kindled their red fires 

As the sun sank in the west, 
And said, when feast and pipe were past, 

" Alabama "—Here we rest. 



64 ALABAMA. 

They liad wandered from the North-land, 

Where the earth is clad in snows, 
And saw 'mid leaves of polished green 

The Cherokee's white rose. 
And canght its balmy perfume, 

Like the breath of spirits blest ; 
And in their sleep they mnrmnred 

" Alabama " — Here we rest. 

Oft morn came, but they lingered 

Where the mystic lakes were laid, 
Like fallen moons of silver. 

In the sable cypress shade. 
Where long and trailing mosses •• 

Hung around the cedar's breast. 
Full oft at night their song was heard, 

" Alabama " — Here we rest. 

They were happy in their hunting, 

They were happy in their love. 
Their glee was like the mocking-bird, 

Their grief was like the dove ; 
And many a bold young savage 

Clasping closely to his chest. 
Whispered to his fawn-eyed maiden, 

'' Alabama " — Here we rest. 

There was freedom in the forest 
Where they were wont to roam, 



A L A r> AM A. €5 

Tlic stranger never asked in vainr 

For shelter, or for home, 
But said, when they had shared their meal 

With every welcome guest, 
" Our wigwam door is open, 

" Alabama " — Here we rest. 

They had robes of elk and otter, 

They had plumes of many dyes. 
And the claws of mountain eagles. 

Whose homes are in the skies — 
And many a gem and polished shell, 

Bedecked the rustic vest 
Of maid, or hunter free, who sang 

" Alabama " — Here we rest. 

They worshipped God in silence, 

In the wilderness, alone — • 
They saw him ride the thunder storm, 

And in the sun his throne ; 
And when the moon, a silver bow, 

Hung on the pine's high crest, 
And all was hushed, they whispered low 

" Alabama " — Here we rest. 

They rose, when morning's ladders 

First lace the eastern sky, 
And the train of dream-land angels 

Climb from earth aloft on high, 



66 AL A.B AM A. 

And all day long tliej chased the game 

With never flagging zest, 
But cheerful said, by night's red flame, 

'' Alabama " — Here we rest. 

Their dwellings all were simple, 

Snch as Nature's children use. 
And the might of all their navy 

But a fleet of frail canoes ; 
And up rose from the flag-fringed lakes 

The wild fowl, from her nest. 
As they slowly paddled, singing 

" Alabama " — Here w^e rest. 

Their fields of tall maize fluttered 

In the sunshine's golden sheen, 
And showed alternate in the breeze 

Its changeful dark and green ; 
Above, the crimson oriole 

Swung with her pendant nest, 
And sung securely to her young 

" Alabama " — Here we rest. 

There reigned eternal summer, 
And there was ever heard. 

Amid the snow-w^hite orange bloom, 
The magic mocking-bird. 

The green-leaved fruit of gold, full oft 
The young wild maiden pressed, 



ALABAMA.. 

While on the moss her lover said, 
" Alabama "■ — here we rest. 

Peace trod the Hower-dappled shades, 

The spell-bound woods were calm, 
Health shook the pale magnolia boles, 

And every breeze was balm ; 
The light that kissed the earth was love, 

Tlie land the lakes caressed. 
And happiness there whispered bliss, 

" Alabama" — here we rest. 

But a change came o'er their heaven, 

Red grew their silver star. 
The waves bore great ships from the East, 

And bearded men of war ; 
With burnished guns and axes 

Into the woods they pressed, 
Death woke the sleeping ones, who breathed 

'• Alabama" — here we rest. 

The strangers waxed in numbers. 

As the great waves when they run. 
And the forest fled before them. 

As a mist before the sun ! 
And all the elements of earth 

Obeyed their high behest. 
And the wood-child trembled as he said, 

" Alabama" — here we rest. 



67 



f)8 ALABAMA. 

The blood of those ^vho fought for home, 

Soon fell like streaming rain, 
Foes swept resistless, in their might, 

As fire sweeps through the cane; 
Full oft at night a crimson clond 

Hnnc: on the wi2:wam's crest, 
And forms lay dead that late had said. 

"Alabama" — here we rest. 

The very w^oods grew pale with fear, 

Each wild bird hnshed its lute ; 
No more w^as seen the spotted deer. 

The wilderness was mnte ; 
]^o more beneath magnolia snows' 

Breathed lovers, in their qnest, 
Or said, 'neath Cherokee's white rose, 

" Alabama" — ^liere w^e rest. 

IS^o more ao'ainst the timid fawn 

o 

Was twanged the bended bow, 
But to the head the arrow drawn. 

To fly and pierce the foe ; 
But unseen messengers of doom, 

Struck down the bright plumed crest, 
And stiff the tongue wdiich erst had sung 

" Alabama" — ^liere we rest. 

Tlie forest black did melt in light, 
As darkness into day, 



ALABAMA. 69 

And red men vanislied from tlie white, 

As stars from morning's ray ; 
Tlie groves grew sad, the dark woods dumb, 

In hollow heights suppressed, 
JSTo echo answered voices back — • 

"Alabama" — here we rest. 

But few were left, and they were forced 

Afar away to roam ; 
Off where the sun goes down to sleep, 

The wanderers sought a home ; 
But one by one they drooped and died, 

On broad, lone prairies, west, 
And at their shallow graves they sighed, 

" Alabama" — here we rest. 

One may be w^andering still, perchance, 

'Mid Alabama's groves. 
And dreaming of his father's race. 

Their friends, their homes, their loves. 
Now turns his eyes to heaven. 

And hears, in cloud-land, blest, 
Their happy voices chanting, 

" Alabama " — here we rest. 



THE ]V1^IZE. 



" That precious seed into the furrow cast, 
Earliest in Spring-time, crowns the harvest last." 

Ph(ebe Caret. 



A SONO for the plant of my own native West, 

Where nature and freedom reside, 
By plenty still crowned, and by peace ever blest, 

To the corn ! the green corn of her pride ! 
In climes of the East has the olive been sung ; 

And the grape been the theme of their lays, 
But for thee shall a harp of the backwoods be strung. 

Thou bright, ever-beautiful Maize ! 

Afar in the forest where rude cabins rise, 

And send up their pillars of smoke. 
And the tops of their columns are lost in the skies 

O'er the heads of the cloud-kissing oak — 



72 T HE M iVlZE. 

ISTear tlie skirt of the grove, where the sturdy arm swings 

The axe till the old giant sways. 
And echo repeats every blow as it rings. 

Shoots the green and the glorious Maize ! 

There buds of the buckeye in spring are the first, 

And the willow's gold hair then appears. 
And snowy the cups of the dogwood that burst 

By the red-bud, with pink tinted tears ; 
And striped the bowls which the poplar holds up 

For the dew and the sun's yellow rays. 
And brown is the pawpaw's shade-blossoming cup. 

In' the wood, near the sun-loving Maize ! 

When through the dark soil the bright steel of the plough 

Turns the mould from its unbroken bed. 
The ploughman is cheered by the finch on the bough, 

And the black-bird doth follow his tread. 
And idle, afar on the landscape descried ; 

The deep lowing kine slowly graze. 
And nibbling the grass on the sunny hill-side 

Are the sheep, hedged away from the Maize. 

With spring-time, and culture, in martial array 
It waves its green broad swords on high. 

And fights with the gale, in a fluttering fray. 
And the sunbeams, wdiich fall from the sky — 

It strikes its green blades at the zephyrs at noon. 
And at night at the swift flying fays. 



T H E M A I Z E . 73 

Who ride through the darkness, the beams of the moon, 
Through the spears and the flags of the Maize ! 

When the summer is fierce still its banners are green, 

Each warrior's long beard groweth red. 
His emerald-bright sword is sharp-pointed and keen, 

And golden his tassel-plumed head ; 
As a host of armed knights set a monarch at naught. 

They defy the day-god to his gaze ; 
And, revived every morn from the battle that's fought. 

Fresh stand the green ranks of the Maize ! 

But brown comes the Autumn, and sere grows the corn. 

And the woods like a rainbow are dressed, 
And but for the cock, and the noontide's clear horn, 

Old Time would be tempted to rest ; 
The humming bee fans off a shower of gold. 

From the mullen's long rod as it sways. 
And dry grow the leaves which protecting enfold 

The ears of ilie well-ripened Maize. 

At length Indian Summer, the lovely, doth come. 

With its blue frosty nights, and days still. 
When distantly clear sounds the waterfall's hum, 

And the sun smokes ablaze on the hill ! 
A dim veil hangs over the landscape and flood, 

And the hills are all mellowed in haze. 
While Fall creeping on, like a Monk 'neath his hood 

Plucks the thick rustling w^ealth of the Maize. 
4 



74 T II E M A I Z E . 

And the heavy wains creak to the barns large and grey, 

Where the treasure securely we hold, 
Housed safe from the tempest, dry sheltered away, 

Our blessing more precious than gold ! 
And long for this manna that springs from the sod, 

Shall we gratefully give Him the praise, 
The source of all bounty, our Father and God, 

Who sent us from heaven the Maize ! 



^ME L I ^ 



' Thou too art gone, and with thee my delight," 

Lament of Tasso. 



But oh ! the heavy change, now thou art gone, 
Now thou art gone, and never must return." 

Milton. 



They tell me slie is dead ! 

Yoiceless, cold, and stark — 
That they have laid her body in its bed 

Narrow, dee^^, and dark. 
I did not think these foolish eyes of mine 
Conld weep again, as now they w^eep ; 
I did not deem this bitter brine 

From long brooked spring-s conld leap, 
But let it flow — for I cannot restrain 

This river dark of woe 
Which rushes down my brain ; 
In vain I chide 

With " What have men with tears ?" 
As well to ask yon tide 



76 AMELIA. 

"Why we have lioj^es and fears. 
Aj, let these fountains pour 

Their utmost droj^s, and drain 
Their deepest well ; for evermore 

Let grief find vent like rain, 
For she is gone ! The lone bright flower 

Which rose so red npon life's desert waste, 
Where'er she grew, sweet l^atnre made her bower, 

And in it Iiaj)piness the angel placed. 
Mirth led whole troops of Joys to her. 

Who danced around with fingers rose and white, 
And cherub Love, robed in a gossamer, 

Sat in her eyes, and trembled with delight. 

Oh ! she is gone ! The sun smiles on the world 

With brilliant gloom ; 
The moon is like a lamp imjDcarled 

Within a rayless tomb ! 
The stars are each a funeral torch, 

Borne by mourning cherubim, which stray 
Forth from the heavens' world-wide porch. 

Thick crowding down the milky-way ; 
And sable folds of cloud are cast 

Like banners from the battlements on high : 
And underneath those arches vast. 

Whose pillars' tops outreach the eye, 
A countless host I seem to see. 

Which, chanting melancholy dirges, march 
Towards the dim valley of eternity. 



AMELIA. T7 

With solemn step beneath each giant arch ; 
And hark ! from far, now swelling loncl, 

Now fading low and dim, 
I hear a chant bnrst from that angel crowd, 

In the full burden of a heaven hymn. 

Mourn, ISTature I mourn, ye fields and woods, 
Ye forests vast, and tangled solitudes. 
Ye rocky steeps, and flower-spotted vales, 
And sigh for her your sweetest dirge sad gales ; 
Ye fringe-hung trees, with reddest buds, 

Beneath the buckeye's glass-green cone. 
Whose roots, washed by blue water floods, 

And wind swept boughs where doves do moan, 
Droop now each flowered head. 

And rain your blossoms fast — 
For hark ! the passing angel said 
"Amelia's dead!" 

And then outsped the blast. 
Ye musky groves, where wild grapes bloom. 
And sweet-knots grow, exhaling rare perfume, 
And catch upon your leafy emerald shields. 
The golden shafts which fall from morning's fields, 
And ward them from the shrinking daisy's head, 
Who in green moss doth make her velvet bed — 
Ye night-shades ! with your berries black. 

Distil around your mystic dews of death. 
In those lone vales where midnight leaves her track, 

And chills the air of mornino; with her breath — 



78 AMELIA. 

No more invite into your secret bowers 
Tlie minstrel thrush, who wooes the passing hours 
With such aUuring stram, that Solitude 
Herself cloth smile, despite her mournful mood. 
Ye hlies ! fold your snowy eyes, 

And weep. 
As, when a maiden dies, 

Her white lids close in sleep ; 
And you, ye purple fox-gloves, press 

Your hands upon your hearts. 
As some chaste nun, who kneels to bless 

In prayer, while forth the tear-drop starts. 
Ye herbs and plants with aromatic bloom. 

Close ye each painted vase, 
"Wherein ye hold your rare perfume. 

In little lakes, where Fairy sees her face. 
Or in the dew-drop ocean, sweet. 

Lit by a beam warm from the morning sun, 
The Elfin boatmen sail their tiny fleet. 

And o'er the scarce-seen waves their shadow shallops 
run. 

Weep Earth ! O Earth, with thy sad portion weep ! 

Eor on thy bosom thou did'st see her sleep. 

Till angels stooped, and up her form they bore — 

Till like grey clouds on heaven's furthest shore, 

Their figures faded from all earthly eyes. 

And, lost in light, they entered Paradise. 

Ah me ! how lone my crape-clad Soul doth wait, 



AMELIA. 



79 



With upturned gaze upon high heaven's gate ; 
Then droops her head, heart-sick, and desolate. 
Alas ! what blindness falls upon my sight: 
The very sunshine loses half its light ! 

And objects wliich her presence did illume, 
(As when a glow-worm's lamp is seen 
Under a leaf of green), 

Kow lose themselves in gloom. 

Oh, she was gentle as the deep. 

Where in calm sunshine halcyons fall asleep ; 

And, like the sea, her mind's deep treasury 

Held hidden kingdoms, rare in purity, 

And rich as cities paved with gems and gold, 

Which the deep caverns of the ocean hold — 

Where peris dwell, in palaces of pearl. 

Around whose base the golden waters curl. 

Lit by a sun which shines not on earth's face. 

So shone her mind, resplendent in its grace — 

Catching from heaven her light celestial flood. 

As the young pelican which drinks its mother's blood ; 

Her glowing genius mantled her in rays. 

As seraph's presence sets the air a-blaze ; 

And goodness from her glances, like a charm, 

Fell e'en on frozen hearts, and they grew warm ; 

Her speech was ever liquid on the tongue. 

But Music stood enraptured when she sung. 

And sounds like pearls fell from her mouth in song, 

Or rained like roses when the breeze is strong. 



80 AMELIA. 

Alas ! in vain the traveller shall seek, 
Sweet child of Song, beside broad Chesapeake, 
Thy childhood's home, to find thee now ! 
And where Ohio's bright blue waters flow, 
Bearing the sunshine's gold npon his breast, 
Throngh the green valleys of the woody west ; 
There vainly shall the eye which reads thy lays, 
Look for thy form, to bless thee, and to j^raise. 
Alas ! the thought of thee hath made me weak. 
And, from o'er fulness of the heart, I cannot speak. 
Oh ! if thy gentle spirit now doth ken 
The hidden feelings in the souls of men. 
Thou seest emotions trembling in my heart. 
And dost behold my silent tears that start, 
For I did cleave to thee, as one of those 
"Who rob this world of half its weight of woes. 

Alas ! I'm like an orb whose sun lias gone 

And left it in the universe alone. 

All hid in night and chaos wide. 

Lost in the gloom, and mourning for its guide, — 

"VYhere shall I turn me now, to meet 

That sympathetic vision sweet, 

Whose presence turned the very night to day. 

And whose retreat bore half my heart away ! 

Oh, I could sit me down alone and sigh — ■ 

Turn all my soul to tears, and weeping die. 

But I did promise thee, in life, that when thy brow 

Should wear its halo where the angels bow, 



AMELIA. 81 

I still would think of thee, and bless 

Thy memory, if I were left to press 

The leaves in pathways through earth's wilderness : 

And now that day hath come, and I am lone, 

Deserted as a sea bird on a rock, 

Where ocean billows with incessant shock 

The white-chafed foam for ever toss 

Around a wounded albatross ! 

Friend of my soul, farewell ! I feel the rod 
Which chastens all of earth — and bow to God. 
I have no fear or doubt upon thy state ; 
Beatitude was foreordained thy fate ; 
The bitter part to mortals sole is left — 
A loss too great for words — of thee bereft. 
And now I wander through this vale of tears, 
More sad at heart, and older many years. 



TO 



h:iiia.]V[ pow^ehs. 



Honored be the name of Powers, 
Who, beneath the Tuscan towers, 
Elevates this land of ours 

By his noble art. 
'Mid the Masters, old and grand, 
The Living with the Dead doth stand- 
The Sculptor's chisel in his hand. 

And Genius in his heart. 

Tar from home, across the brine. 
By empurpled Apennine, 
Where the Arno's waters shine 

'Neath a golden sun. 
Midst the mighty temples, hoary. 
Grey with age, and rich in story. 
Faithful for his country's glory, 

He a wreath hath won. 



T O H I R A M P O W E R S . 83 

In tlie land where Rome was great, 

Ere fortli the fiat went of Fate, 

Which wrecked her giant, pillared state, 

And buried her in dust. 
Full fixed upon his art intent. 
He recks not of the kingdoms rent. 
Of storming towns, or battlement. 

In AVar's wild thunder-gust. 



But his eye rests on the goal ; 
As the sailor marks the pole, 
A star fixed fast within his soul, 

Undimmed by storm or night. 
Where Yesuvius blazes red, 
Holding converse with the dead ! 
And raising marble from its bed. 

To shapes of life and light ! 



Gazing through hope's open gate. 
On a glorious future state. 
Where immortal honors w^ait 

To crown the faithful soul. 
As when a mariner doth launch. 
On stormy seas his shallop staunch. 
Faith holds the helm, and olive branch, 

Thonffh mountain billows roll. 



84 T O H I R A M P O W E E S . 

Where Florence holds her stately reigu, 
The queen of all the southern plain 
Begirt by vines and golden grain, 

He dwells afar from home. 
And constant plies the toiling hand, 
Tliat yet, within his native land. 
Art's Genius may rise up as grand. 

As erst in mighty Rome. 



The marble shall from quarry rise ; 
And 'neath our azure sunset skies. 
Behold each Age that comes and dies, 

A chronicle sublime — •' 
Pointing backward towards the Past, 
And reading from a volume vast, 
The wealth which history hath amassed 

From out the wreck of Time. 



THE THRUSEE, 



In the wilderness dark, where the dogwood is white, 

And the red-bud with blossoms doth blush ; 
Where the shade is so deep that the noon is as night, 

Is the home of the hermit-like Thrush. 
He flits through the forest so dense and so green. 

As a shadow flits over a stream, 
And he glances along through the bushes, half seen. 

Like a spirit which glides through a dream. 
He darts over log, and he darts over stone. 

And to see him the eye must be bright — 
For he dwelleth where Solitude dwelleth alone, 

Withdrawn from the eye of the light ; 
Where the Turkey-pea grows with its fairy-like flower. 

And the spice bush exales its perfume ; 
Where the wild vine is weaving its intricate bower, 

O'er the haunt of the spirit of Gloom ; 
Where the Buckeye is dark, in the depth of its green, 

And the hazle bush covers the groimd ; 
Where the red-spotted deer, with its wild eyes is seen, 

And the pheasant's drum thunders around ! — 



86 T H E T 11 E U S H . 

'Tis there when the dayliglit sinks back in its urn, 

The fountain of gold whence it rose, 
That from some mossy rock, decked with finger-leaved 
fern. 

He sings, 'till night's wings o'er him close. 
And then ere the morn shoots its arrows of gold 

Through the bonghs of the sugar tree, dark. 
He sits in the glen where the night has grow^n old 

And listens afar to the lark. 
The red bird, whose fiery cap 'mid the green, 

Seems like a knight errant of old. 
Whose plume gleaming bright in the forest was seen, 

In sallies chivalric and bold. 
The Oriole, dressed in his scarlet-hued vest. 

Like a Troubadour, joyous and gay, 
To the mate of his bosom unburdens his breast, 

In many a merry-toned lay ; 
But thine is a strain where the joy is so deep 

That from sorrow it scarce can be told. 
And brings us sweet thoughts, like the angels in sleep, 

Which the day's eye doth never behold. 
It is not the mere happy sound to the ear. 

The mingling of cheerful and sweet. 
But the rush to the heart of all sounds that are dear, 

Which shivers the soul in her seat. 
Tea ! it trembles there like the pale leaf of the asp, 

Which quivers in storm-gusts at night. 
And ecstasy, bliss, and beatitude, clasp 

Tlieir white hands, and weep with delight ! 



THE BOISrivriE B^RD 

0' CALEDOX. 



Ye a' maj sing o' Homer's skill, 

O' Yirgil's classic toiicli of fire, — 
The harp for me hangs on the hill 

Where Scotia's ancient oaks aspire. 
The south wind steals across that lute. 
And all the magic strings are mute, 
But when the auld north bloweth sharp. 
Wild spirits play upon that harp, — 
With joy's glad voice, and sorrow's moan. 
They sing of ancient Caledon. 

Full many bards across the sea 
Their high heroic lilts have sung. 

From vine decked Alps of Italy, 

And Rhenish Brocken heights among. 

The Swedish IN^eck wi' mermaid strain, 

Wha sings her music 'neath the main ; 



88 THE BONNIE BAED o' CALEDON. 

And thougli Alhambra's haunted halls, 
Hear minstrel echoes 'long their walls, 
Break forth in tones so sweet and lone, 
'Tis na' the harp of Caledon. 



Gie me the wizard laird wha wakes 

The soft foot fairies o' the mead, 
And calls the nymphs frae out the lakes, 
To trip the green wi' lightsome speed, 
"Whose words bring up before the eye 
Tlie silver fields o' waving rye, 
Where hawthorns deck the shady lane. 
And sickles ring through golden grain. 
Where gowans bloom by furze o'ergrown, 
In bonnie braes o' Caledon. 



He gave the lift a deeper blue, 

And made the lavrock sing more clear, 
And ilka ingle brighter grew 

When bonnie Eobie Burns was near. 
The leesome lassie smiles more sweet 
When his rare song her ear doth greet. 
And brows of auld folk lose each fold. 
And laugh as if no longer old. 
An' crack, an' sing by ingle stone. 
In happy homes o' Caledon. 



THE BONNY BARD o' CALEDON. 89 

While Morning glints npon the earth, 
An' gloaniin' Eve wears dusky robe, 

We'll toast his honest manly worth 
As long as Freedom walks the globe ! 

]^or reck we of the blame or sneer, 

From crowned head, or lordly peer ; 

For far aboon the chance-made things, 

He stands a Man, though they be Kings ; 

And proud may Scotia be to own 

Her bonnie bard o' Caledon. 



While breckan decks the mountain side. 
And swallows flitter o'er her lochs. 

We'll recollect braw Rob wi' pride. 
While moss is green upon the rocks ; 

And every true Columbian chiel 

Will quaff to cannie Robin's weel ; 

And may auld Reekie yet be free. 

As this new land of liberty. 

And Avith us sing her patriot son, 

The bonnie bard o' Caledon. 



LINES ON THE ANNIVERSARY 



OF 



BURnsrS' BIRTH 

1852. 



Of all the ]!!^orland birds that sang 
Where Scotia waved her yellow ferns, 

On her white hills, green firs araang, 
Was that sweet warbling Robin, Burns. 

The Sky-lark in his matin glee, 
In tenderness the wooing Dove, — 

But when he sang for liberty, 

He was the Thunder Bird of Jove ! 

On highland peaks which kiss the sky. 
In moorland glens where burnies glide, 

The songs he sang will never die, 

While hills shall stand, or flows the tide ! 



ON THE ANNIVERSARY OP BTJRNs' BIRTH. 91 

There's scarce a palace or a cot, 

But lying in a quiet nook 
We'll find a volume there, ye wot, 

Oft sole, beside God's Holy Book. 

And listening to its speaking page, 
Ye'll see the bright lit eye of youth — 

While, weeping o'er it, trembling age 
Smiles at its tenderness and truth. 

Ye'll hear the hearth wi' laughter ring, 

Ye'll hear the blue- eyed lassie sob, 
Ye'll see the peasant look a king, 

Inspired by heroic Rob ! 

He was no steel-clad man of war, 

IS^o banner-bearing, belted knight. 
But rose like morning's largest star. 

And earth beneath him grew more bright ! 

What statesman would not give his fame. 
What prince that would not give his state. 

To hold like Burns that nobler name, 
A greater far than all the great ? 

He had his frailties, who has not ? 

Avoid them, ye who wisely can, 
But honesty he ne'er forgot, 

God made him what he was — a man : 



92 ON THE ANNIVERSAKY OF BURNS' BIKTH. 

Then toast liim long, and ne'er repine, 
His songs shall cheer our inmost grief ; 

And round the green Scotch thistle twine 
The broad and bonnie Buckeye leaf. 

For wealth and rank the world, by turns, 

May battle for a common lot. 
But Nature makes us kin to Burns, 

And joins Columbian with the Scot. 

He rests not with the dust of Kings 

In hollow m-onumental urns ; 
His spirit's flame to Heaven springs^ 

And in the heart lives Eobert Burns! 



LINES 



i:)EA.TH OF TOM: MIOORE, 



" The harp tliat hung in Tara's liall " is mute, 
Its wizard strain is now forever o'er ; 
The mighty master of earth's sweetest lute 
Sleeps silently — green Erin's jooet, Moore ! 

Greece never matched his lyric art : 

In Sappho's wildest rha^^sody, 
He threw his hand across the heart, 

And every cliord was harmony. 

Who is there, where our mother tongue 
Hath given echoes to the shore, 

That hath not heard, or hath not sung, 
The stanzas of the minstrel, Moore ! 



94 ON T HE DEATH OF TOM M O O E E . 

Tom Moore ! It is a liouseliold name, 
Througli all the land, in every part ; 

The deathless memory of his fame 
Is carved upon the human heart. 

Thy name shall live while love shall last. 
While music's voice hath grief or glee, 

" "When twilight dews are falling fast,'' 
Or gold-clad morning walks the sea ! 

And oft thy spirit on its wings 
Shall pause to listen, in its flight, 

While some sweet voice enraptured, sings 
Thy strain, " Oft in the stilly night." 

While love, and lute, and friendship last, 
Thy being can not yet be o'er ; 

And when they from the earth have passed, 
Go thou wdth them, sweet minstrel, Moore 

But first, before Oblivion throws 

His veil of shadow^s over thee, 
Earth shall behold her last red rose 

Fall lifeless on the barren lea ! 

And now the misty land of shade 
Grows musical by Lethe's shore, 

With strains, by unseen angels j)layed. 
Who greet with joy the ministrel, Moore. 



R o m: E 



Haek ! thunder, from the Yatican, 

Comes rolling o'er the sea ; 
From the seven hills of Tiber, 

Hark, the shout of Liberty ! 
Oh, glorious, oh, glorious ! 

The deep-mouthed sound hath sped 
From the temples, and the sepulchres 

Of the great and mighty dead ; 
The Genius of the city, 

Hises up in majesty, 
And from the Coliseum cries, 

"Ye men of Rome, be free !" 
Ye gods ! it is a noble sight. 

As ever thrilled the heart, 
From out those ruined halls to see 

The ghost of freedom start. 
Too long she hath worn cerements. 

Like a tenant of the tomb, 
But the solid rock is severed. 

And she stalks forth from the gloom ; 



96 K O M E . 

And a light is all about lier, 

Like the light of other days, 
i\.nd a halo round her forehead, 

With a glory seems to blaze. 
Behold upon her arm, a shield, 

Like sunrise on the sea ; 
And from her golden trump she speaks, 

'' Ye men of Eome be free !" 
Your children must not hear it — 

E'or your sires from their graves. 
They who bequeathed you honors, — 

That you wear the chains of slaves. 
Lift high your voices, Romans ! , 

With a psean most divine ; 
Let it echo from Yesuvius, 

To the blue-robed Apennine ; 
For the clouds that lowered on ye 

Are scattered by the gale, 
And the night hath gone — 'tis morning 

'Tis morning ! Romans, hail ! 
Too long thine ancient armor. 

Hath formed a food for rust. 
And the proudest of thy chivalry 

Cringed lowly in the dust ; 
'Tis time tliy chains should fall from thee. 

To show thy might again ; 
'Tis time that Rome should be herself. 

And Romans should be men ! — 
The Parthenon may crumble, 



K O M E . 97 



And the grass grow on its dome, 
But the glory of thy race must live, 

And Rome shall yet be Eome ! — 
When her superstitious tyrants. 

Sink 'neath oblivion's sea, 
Then from the Tiber's foam shall rise 

The goddess Liberty ! 
Then shout, ye sons of Brutus ! 

For the Tarquin's day hath past. 
And the kingly throne of power. 

On the level earth is cast — 
For the rising song of Freedom 

Swells like a thunder-gust, 
And the triple crown, and purple 

Are hurled into the dust ; 
And from the seven hills goes up 

The voice of jubilee, 
Till far around, is heard the sound, 

That Rome as^ain is free I 



THE AV^HIP'I'OOIl^^^riLL. 



When day lias darkened in tlie west 
And shadows climb the highland's crest, 
When evening winds do seem to hnsh 
To listen to the minstrel thrush, 
And e'en the very brook is still 
That turned the noisy water-mill, 
Then like a spirit's voice is heard 
The melancholy twilight bird, 
That cries, unseen, from leafy hill, 
Its plaintive notes of Whippoorwill. 

The mocking-bird, with spotted breast, 
The wildest warbler of the west. 
The red-bird, in his dress of fire. 
Who whistles loud from blooming briar. 
The meadow-lark with voice so bold. 
With throat of jet and breast of gold. 
All these, besides a countless throng. 
With morning wake their witching song ; 



THE W II I P P O O R W I L L . 99 

But when pale evening cometli, still. 
Is heard the mournful Whippoorwill. 



It sino^eth when the fire-fly 

"With silver lamp goes flashing by, 

And when the glow-worm's gold is seen, 

Beneath a leaf of polished green. 

And Will-o'-the-Wisp with blazing ray. 

Leads school-boys through the marsh astray, 

Still plashing through the sodden bog. 

O'er briar, brake and fallen log, 

Till in the thickets, sad and shrill. 

They hear a voice cry, Whippoorwill! 

I've heard that voice so sad and wild, 

When I was but a timid child, 

And trembled as I bent my ear 

The wizard notes again to hear. 

As they upon the wind would move 

From some dark, shaded, haunted gi'ove, 

Where, hidden by a friendly leaf, 

Tliat plaintive bird poured forth its grief, 

In such sad strain, my eyes w^ould fill 

To hear it calling, Whippoorwill ! 

I, then a boy, did fear the sound, 
Which issued from the gloom profound. 
For then, it was no wundrous thing 
To deem it spirit, which could sing, 



100 THE WHIPPOOKWILL. 

And grieve as if its heart did move 
Witli recollections of its love. 
Ah me ! since then how years have flown, 
And like that voice, how sad my own ; 
For grief, so deep, my heart doth thrill, 
Thy tones were joy, lone Whippoorwill. 

Oh ! could I fancy yet once more, 

Thon wert a spirit, as before — ■ 

Thus sitting in a darksome bower, 

To tell thy tale to some pale flower, 

"Who, when thy falling tears were shed, 

Would catch the pearls and droop its head I 

Then 1 to see thee fain would peer. 

But trembling stood, withheld by fear, 

Lest some strange mystic form of ill. 

Thou should'st assume, dread "Whippoorwill. 

But now, those solemn sounds, when heard. 

Are but the wailings of a bird, — 

A bird of shadows dim and grey. 

That sings the death knell of the day, 

And flies as silent through the gloom 

As ghosts which glide around a tomb ; 

A bird, but yet a mystic thing, 

A twilight gnome, on dusky wing, — 

It starts my heart to hear it still. 

Amid the gloom cry, Whippoorwill. 



THE WHIPPOORWILL. 101 

Lone Whippoorwill ! those by-gone years 
I look on now with eyes of tears, 
My heart grows dark as those sad honrs 
"When thou didst mourn in gloomy bowers, 
And all my joys, like thy strange cry. 
Live in the voice of memory ; 
But thoughts of thee are ever blent 
With boyhood's careless, gay content ; 
So 'mong the things on youth's bright hill 
I'll place and love thee, Whippoorwill. 



]MA.IIY STEELE. 



She was of lieaven, tliougli an eartlily creature, 

A gladsome beauty lived in her bright eye, 
A sweet simplicity was in each feature, 

A look as mild as summer's sunset sky, 
Her scarlet lips were bright as ocean coral, 

And fairy freckles like the cow-slip's specks 
On her white face, her spotless soul was moral. 

Pure as the cup the lily stalk that decks ; 
Gloom, never threw a shadow on her heart. 

She lived like plants that bloom a day, and die, 
She knew not of the world, its guile and art. 

She came like morning's breeze, and died like even- 
ing's sigh — 
Then sins; for her no mournful hvmn 

'No melancholy lay, 
ISTo wail from solemn cloisters dim. 
By friars sad and grey — 



MARY STEELE. 103 

Let not the-deep toned bell 

From tall cathedrals peal, 
'No organ antliem swell 

For gentle Mary Steele. 

Let the wild tlirnsh, in Pond Creek's lonely shade, 

Sing her sweet dirge wdiere daylight's self seems dark; 
And from green meadows, for the gentle maid, 

A hymn shall rise from golden-breasted lark ; 
Around her simple tomb 

Hang no dark signs of w^oe, 
No mournful monuments of gloom, 

But there let flowers blow. 
The gold-eyed violet, in velvet blue. 

The wild rose with its leaflets red, 
Tlie larkspur, drinking heaven's dew, 

The blue-bell, nodding on her emerald bed ; 
And hard by let the giant poplars stand. 

Holding their arms up to the azure sky. 
And silently o'erlooking all the land. 

Bowing to angels as they wing them by. 
Weep not for her — she never thought a wrong, 

She never dreamed an ill to any mortal ; 
And liveth now, a spirit 'mid the throng 

That crowd around yon bright celestial portal, 
Where the Great One, supremely good. 

Whose look dispenses bliss and ecstasy. 
And like the bright sun's ever-pouring flood 

Spreads beams of gladness like a golden sea. 



104 MART STEELE. 

In that glad realm where sorrow's wounds all heal, 

And happiness, with vast o'erarching wings, 
Through which the stars their shining lights reveal, 

Doth lean on peace, while every angel sings — 
There doth she stand, with sister seraphs shining 

All crowned with light, with rainbows bending o'er, 
Where never comes a voice of sad repining — 

Eut cherubs chant God's praises evermore. 



LINES 



UPON A 



PIOTURE OF "^MELI^. 



Ah ! loveiy shade, where beauty's image sleeping 

Rests like the sunlight on the crimson rose, 
And round that mouth the happy smile is creeping. 
And voiceless joys their silent watch are keeping. 
O'er happiness there pillowed with repose. 

Thy neck of snow each dark brown lock encumbers. 

Light as the shadow of a gossamer ; 
As some dark lake, with waves in countless numbers. 
Sweeps in soft swells, yet in its swelling slumbers, 

Rolls without ripple, sleeping seems to stir. 

And then that eye so beauteous in its beaming, 
A pool of shade, by willows overhung, 

5* 



106 LINES UPON A PICTURE OF ^AMELIA." 

From whose dark depths a cheerful light conies stream- 

As might the rays of cottage fires gleaming 
Across a wanderer's midnight path be flimg. 

But ah ! there is no power of unfolding, 

That smile of light when joy plays o'er thy cheek, 
And ivory brow ; that magic casket holding 
Its countless gems, inlaid by fairy moulding, 
Which fall like rose-leaves ever as you speak. 

And then thy voice with merry laughter ringing, 

Makes life when thou art near, a luxury, 
And, like an angel, light around him flinging. 
The winged joys fly from thy lips in singing. 
And echo answers with his song of glee. 

Ah ! could the world unlock thy mental treasures, 
"What flashing jewels then would meet the gaze ! 
The poet's harp, attuned to happy measures. 
All hung with flowers, as sweet as heaven's pleasures — 
Bright blossoms blooming under greenest bays. 

Thy mind's a picture, past all mortal prizing, 

A revelation, an enchanted book. 
Where thoughts on thoughts, like stars in their uprising, 
Come forth in beauty, matchless and surprising. 

And danced all doubled in thine eye's dark brook. 



LINES UPON A PICTURE OF 

Oft have I seen those orbs of hazel glimmer, 

Burn clear, and soften in their cheerful light, 
]^ow bright as glow-worms' silver lamps that shimmer, 
Now dark as doves' eyes melting grief makes dimmer. 
Or waves of silver flashing in the night. 

That look of light lives with me in lone places, 

A moon-kissed spot in life's dark vale of tears ; 
Where, like a troop of fairies, fancy traces 
The lineaments of long remembered faces. 

With smiles ol light from gone-by sunny years. 

From me, thou scarce couldst think that time could 
borrow 

So soon the looks that joys to youth impart. 
Or that each l^ight should show, the blushing Morrow, 
Some deeply graven memory of sorrow. 

Carved on the tablet of the human heart. 

Sweet friend, bright bard ! I care not for repining. 

Grief ever comes too soon without our aid. 
But now, within my heart I am entwining 
A wreath, to give thee when thon shalt be shining, 
A sister serajDh in the Eden shade. 

There w^ill we bless our life's immortal Giver, 
When golden fountains gush forth from the sun, 

And heaven's flowers all around us quiver. 

And see themselves in the Elysian river. 

O'er whose bright waves the rose winged spirits run 



THE ELFIIST QXJEElSr. 



AN ALLEGORY. 



There was an ancient castle, that stood beside a lake, 
Half liidden by tlie forest and tlie tliickly tangled brake ; 
'Twas there a troop of fairies their midnight revels held, 
And tlieir wild and witchins; mnsic on the air of even 
swelled. 
Oh, fairies gay ! how beautifnl are they ! 

"With song and mirth they tread the earth, 
"Whilst Inte and rebeck play. 

Across the moonlit waters in rosy shells they glide. 
And land amid the lilies which begirt the silver tide, 
And dance among the flowers, which every billow laves, 
Or flying o'er the sands their feet are kissed by wanton 
waves. 
Oh ! fairies gay ! how beautiful are they ! 

They skim the heath, in robe and wreath, 
As white as ocean spray ! 



THE ELFIN QUEEN. 100 

There was a lonely youth who strayed one even by this 

shore, 
To muse upon the magic moon, and hear the wild waves 

roar, 
And o'er his ear came music, through the willow's 

waving shade. 
And thus he heard the accents of the fairies' serenade : 
" We fairies gay, to thee awake our lay — 

Come join our throng, our dance and song, 

Our happy roundelay." 



Their Queen reclined in beauty upon a mossy bed, 
Young violets were at her feet, red roses round her head, 
Her snowy arms were folded upon her swelling breast. 
And o'er her limbs a sea-shell's blush on marble seemed 
to rest. 
A fairy gay, as beautiful as day. 

With eyes as bright as Love's own light, 
Or the maiden moon in May, 

Oh ! witching were the words she spake, and winning 

w^as her air. 
Her face was lit with loveliness, a beauty passing rare ! 
Her hair in heavy ringlets adown her back was rolled. 
And round her neck of snow it lay in many a raven fold ! 
Oh, fairy gay ! no words could e'er convey, 

Thine angel face, and form of grace. 
And those that round thee play. 



110 THE ELFIN QUEEN. 

The fond youth kissed the fairy, on her tender, crimson 

cheek, 
And gazed into those eyes, whose look no mortal tongue 

may speak. 
And caught the magic accents of the eldrick maiden's 

speech. 
And felt the warm breath come from lips like blossoms 

of the peach. 
Beware ! beware ! red lip and raven hair ! 

Fond youth, her breath is more than death — 
'Tis madness and despair ! 

Beside that castle wanders, by the margin of the lake, 
An old man strange, who dreameth, thougli he seemeth 

as awake. 
And seeth airy phantoms on the moon-kissed greensward 

throng. 
And smiling bends his ear to hear the syren's silver song. 
Sad soul, farewell ! it is a wizard's spell — 
Thy mind hath tied ! enchantment dread 
Hath rung thy reason's knell ! 

Young lovers, when the daisy is first upon the green, 
Oft wander out to hear him speak about the elfin queen ; 
As he picks the reddest fiower which flutters in the gale, 
And says beside her crimson lips that scarlet bloom were 
pale ! 
The old man sighs till tears bedim his eyes, 

And lovers roam both weeping home, 
More sad at heart, and wise. 



F^RE^VELL SUMMER 



In the meads of western lands, 
By Ohio's golden sands, 
Fell a seed from angel hands. 

When Paradise was new. 
When ages fled, the backwoodsmen 
Still fonnd it blooming in the glen — 
They "Farewell Summer" called it then, 

This fairy flower blue — • 



A small thick plant, with woody stem. 
And on each twig a diadem 
Of sapphires blue, a floral gem, 

A jewel of the earth. 
Which sprung from germ, and took its root. 
Spread dark green leaf, and sappy shoot. 
Bearing precious gems, as fruit. 

In amethystine birth. 



112 FAREWELL SUMMER. 

E'o turquoise from the amber deep, 
Of sunless caves where Peris sleep, 
Whose portals watchful dragons keep. 

Hath such a heaven hue ; 
For e'en the very bloom of flax 
And misletoe's white bud of wax 
Its fragile delicacy lacks, 

And violets its blue. 



It bloometh ever in the fall. 
Dotting over Summer's pall. 
With a starry coronal. 

Like Autumn's milky way ! 
Blooming in the bitter blast. 
When red leaves are raining fast. 
And flowers on the earth are cast, 

And Nature breathes decay. 



When all the birdy woods are dumb. 
Plants dead, save the chrysanthemum. 
This " Farewell Summer" then doth come, 

To greet the season last ; 
When Summer's flying skirt afar 
Fades like a distant golden star. 
And Winter's gate with icy bar 

Admits the freezing blast. 



FAREWELL SUMMER, 113 

While featlieiy snow, whirled round and round 
Whitens the hills and fallow ground, 
And spreads its shroud without a sound, 

Upon the Autumn's corse. 
The frosty fences silvered all, 
The ice-chains hang at waterfall. 
And sighing dirges funeral. 

Hark ! spirits of the N'orse ! 

Then, Farewell Summer, thou alone 
Dost sit, and smile, without a moan. 
When friends are dead, the season flown, 

Thou earth-star of the pole ! 
Thus I have seen the dearest die. 
Yet lacked thy calm philosophy. 
Which brooks the tear-stream in the eye, 

And fortifies the Soul ! 

Frail Farewell Summer ! gentle guest ! 
Thou smilest welcome from the West ! 
Thou, in thy bonnie blue cap drest, 

Shalt live within my heart ; 
A¥ith memories of Ohio's shore. 
My childhood's home, which I adore ! 
Blest be ye all, for evermore. 

Till life's last day depart ! 



STV^EET K ]^ O T S 



In mj own dear West tliei"e groweth 

Certain " Sweet Knots " on tlie trees, 
And tlieir perfume gently fiowetli 

Like a stream into tlie breeze, - 
Till the very air oppressed 

Seems of rare ambrosial spice, 
Fanned by wings of angels blessed 

From tlie groves of Paradise. 
One may walk our forest bowers, 

In this viewless clond of sweets. 
And forget the thousand flowers 

Gaily dressed in those retreats. 
For this fragrance permeateth 

All the air, like golden beams, 
And within the sense createth 

New and strange delightful dreams. 
Yet 'tis not the painted flowers, 

I^or the yellow spicewood's bloom, 
ISTor the wild vine's musky bowers. 

Which exhales this rare perfume ; 



SWEET KNOTS. 115 

But, upon some tall tree clinging 

This Sweet Knot dotli ever gro^Y, 
Where red orioles are singing 

'Mid white berried mistletoe. 
There a homely, brown excresence 

This rich Sweet Knot doth distil, 
Wondrous, strange, enchanting essence. 

Which the wide, wide wood doth fill. 
As in crimson coral haunting. 

Certain workers in it dwell 
And pour out this stream enchanting 

From each incense-breathing cell. 
Thus so silent, unpretending. 

Modest, plain, and all unseen, 
Sit these hidden fairies, sending 

Airy joy through that demesne. 
But if rifted from its station 

It be borne away, a prize 
For the crowd's vain approbation 

All its magic sweetness dies ! 
For its fragrance only blesses 

Where no ruthless steps intrude. 
In the sacred wildernesses. 

With the fawn-eyed solitude. 
There, alone, the hermit lover 

Of the lonesome forest glade. 
Fails not ever to discover 

Where 'tis hidden in the shade. 



116 SWEET KNOTS. 

And from Sweet Knot aromatic, 
As its odors load the air, 

Drinks lie balmy bliss ecstatic, 
Breatlies for it a silent prayer. 

Where the proj)er application 

Of this wonder should be made, 
I^Teeds no word of explanation 

When thy due deserts are paid, 
For the secret virtues working 

In each recess of thy mind 
In unassuming merit lurking, 

Send goodness out on every wind. 



TO J^ COUSIN". 



"Would I had known tliee sooner, friend, 

For I feel that chords depart 
From thy bosom, and extend 

Deep into my heart. 
Chords which do communicate 

Unheard words on unseen wire, 
Leaving on my heart's bright plate 

Shining characters of fire ! 



"Would 1 had shared thy youthful days, 

For then to thee I could confide 
Thought in every varied phase 

Which from the world I fain would hide ; 
Thou shouldst have known each secret bliss, 

My boyhood's love's idolatry, 
xVnd aided me to hide a kisw, 

xVs I thy lover's would for thee. 



118 T O A C O U S I N. 

I'd have plucked the butter-cup's "bright bowl 

^V^ert thou companion of my youth, 
And sang to thee, with all my soul, 

rriendshi]3's fervid song of truth, 
Because I feel that not alone 

Are we bound by chain of kin. 
But the soul which thou dost own 

Could not fail my heart to win. 



Yes, thou art of my being's morn, 

Of fairy youth a fairy queen ; 
In days w^hen through the green-leaved corn 

The sunshine poured its golden sheen. 
Thy temples morning-glories twine. 

Their purple bloom thy black locks loop. 
And o'er thy head in airy line 

The steel-blue martins twittering stoop. 



I see thee but as one with whom 

Comes back each early joyful thing, 
And for the time my heart's in bloom, 

And nature opens into spring. 
And oh ! 'tis pleasant thus to feel 

There are some beings on the earth 
That all our sadnesses can steal, 

And give old dying Joy new birth. 



TO A C O U S I K . 119 

I'm glad I've met tliee — it will give 

New roses to life's barren track. 
'Tis better wortli my while to live 

To see the Pleiad lost come back ; 
Or rather say a star appear 

Where all before was blank and dark 
A new light in the atmosphere, 

A beacon to my ocean ark. 



I'm glad I've met thee — thou art one 

To wdiom I freely can impart. 
Thy nature is in unison 

With all the soul strings of my heart. 
Then all my many faults forgive, 

And kind, as well as kindred, prove ; 
May each new year add, while we live, 

A tendril to our vine of love. 



TO B A_ I L JE Y, 

THE AUTHOR OF FESTUS. 



Immortai. Bard ! Bright spirit of the age, 
Strong hast thou chained to thy triumphant car 
Keason and Fancy, lightning-footed steeds ! 
Faith shakes her bright magnetic reins ; 
They spring from earth with rapid majesty ; 
The morning sunbeams, slanting from the clouds, 
The pathway form for those celestial wheels, 
Kising like the Sun himself, who brighter 
Grows with rising ; Eeligion o'er thee spread 
A talismanic rainbow — evil proof; 
Tliy course is onward through the upper air 
Encircled by unnumbered stars that move 
With mazy motion through the realms of space ; 
Undaunted thou dost hold thy way serene, 
While system after system rolls along, 
And wandering comets with their trains of flame 
Kush harmless by thy scathless chariot ; 



TO BA.ILEY. 121 

Thou shoiitest, " On !" unto the coursers bold ; 
Then, rapid as a rocket from the earth, 
The chariot shoots into the etlier. 
While from its tracks fly sparkling flakes of gold, 
Like fire-flies which gild a summer's night ; — 
Anon, thy speed is checked awhile to gaze 
Upon some Eden smiling at thy feet ; 
Again advancing, with such fearful flight, 
That mighty planets do but seem like lamps 
Hung in the halls which lead up into heaven ; 
IS'or halting, at the awful realm of shade, 
"Where, on a throne immense of skulls and bones, 
With Hell's fierce fires flaming in his eyes. 
Decay and Ruin crouching at his feet. 
Sits awful Death, in solemn state and pride ; 
But, passing through the gates of flame, which bar 
The evil spirits from the realms of bliss. 
Thou enterest heaven's limitless domain. 
Whereof to breathe one breath is far more joy 
Tlian all the pleasures earth hath ever known ; 
Thy guardian angel then doth lead thee on. 
Where cherubim and seraphim elect 
Stand, countless as the motes in summer air. 
And throng the way up to the awful Throne, 
Where higher, by ten million times, above 
What angels are, as is creation 
In its vast extent above an atom. 
The Son, with God, the Indescribable, 
Is supplicating — and the world is saved. 

6 



122 TO BAILEY. 

This seen — from thy height immeasurable 

Thou comest through all space and chaos down, 

Like lava stone which droppeth from the moon, 

'Till close approaching to the earth's green face, 

Like lighting lark that doth outspread its wings. 

Slow sink thy coursers and thy chariot, 

E'en as an eddying leaf comes to the ground — 

And then the race is run, the tale is told ; 

But ah ! too swift the race, it were so bold. 

And all too brief the tale, it were so bright a mould ! 



TO A 



:N^ORSEL^]^^r) mxjsicia.n. 



Master of Melody ! if this wild harp 
Tuned in the forest of the woody West, 
May wake a strain to thee whose airy chord 
Can give one note to please thy wizard heart. 
Then hear it now — thon son of Music's self! 
For thou hast caught the magic spirit wild 
Whose voice along the Baltic's azure shore 
Came when the starlight trembled on the deep, 
The gentle IS^eck ! who, in her secret cove. 
Where greenest trees kiss every dark blue swell. 
Pours forth her midnight song into the Moon, 
And fills the silent air with wilder tones 
Than that enchanted harp of melody 
Whereon the West wind breathes its song and dies. 
Thou must have stood upon some island lone 
Where from the Polar Seas tall icy cliffs 
Shoot like cathedral spires to the clouds. 



124: TO A NOKSELAND MUSICIAN. 

And catcli tlie golden rain from setting suns 1 

Or when pale Niglit her starry children led 

Along the I^orthern fields to see the lights 

Which ride like horsemen battling in the air ; 

Or o'er vermillion clouds, in fairy troops, 

Throng in their scarlet robes, which flash and fade ; 

And where their crimson figures on the wave 

Glow thick as shadows from the household flames ; 

Where lamps of Riga redden on the sea, — • 

Thou must have stood where greenest Russian pines 

Loom u^), and almost overlook the Pole, 

And heard wdtch legions whistling through the air, 

As on they sped to Laj^land wizard's cave, — 

That cave of ice, where gleams the magic torch 

O'er frozen crystals, with a rainbow's hues, 

That mighty temple underneath the ear.th. 

Whose columns vast, with snow-wreathed roof, 

Flash back a radiance like the noontide sun, 

From fires hidden far beneath the ground, — 

There thou hast heard the minstrel gnomes that play 

Their subterranean symphonies sublime, 

To which the ancient !Norse-Gods sit and list 

In solemn circles, speechless with delight ! 

Tliese thou hast heard, or such wild melodies 

Could never start up from thy touch, and fly 

Like troops of fairies from the the greensward's breast ; 

For o'er thine instrument thy fingers play 

As when a humming-bird comes to a rose 

And winnows all her crimson bosom bare ; 



TO A NORSELAND MUSICIAN. 125 

Until she trembles with ecstatic thrill, 

As when a Peri enters heaven's gate 

Of purple clouds, and drinks its air of balm ! — 

Bj thy enchanting art, what were a throne, 

Since in thyself thou dost create such charms 

As not a monarch knows ? ISTay, not the Czar, 

With all his palaces, and lands that stretch 

From Polar Star unto Marmora's tide. 

Hath such a realm as thy rare skill doth own — 

For thou canst call such sprites of beauty up 

From out sweet Music's spheres, as earth knows not : 

The winds, the waves, the woodland birds are thine. 

The sea-shell's requiem, which hidden lives 

With the fair mermaid in the ocean caves. 

Where the red coral lights the darksome cell, 

And silver fish flash through the azure brine — 

Earth's sweetest sounds are all thine own. 

And from strange realms of melody unknown. 

Thy strong enchantment doth command its lutes 

To whisper in thine ear such choral strain 

As makes old Time lean long upon his scythe ! — 

Bare Genius of the realm of song, adieu! — • 

The Sylvan Muse, whose emerald robe is made 

Of the green leaves of Western forests dark. 

For thee doth twine a wreath of blossoms white, 

And in them weaves a coronal of buds. 

Blushing to think their pale pink leaflets poor. 

To crown a brow like thine ; but when their bloom 

Its perfume all shall lose, their withered leaves 



126 TO A N0R8ELAND MUSICIAN. 

Shall call to mind that all, save Music, dies ; 
But Music, Love and rriendshi23, these remain, 
And of these amaranths in triple twine, 
Behold a garland lying at thy feet ! 



THE y^J.T)OyV^'B ]MITE. 



She droj)ped her mite into the treasury 

Of that rich temple, where the many thronged, 

To stand beneath its sacred arches vast. 

To wear humility without, and pride within, 

And move 'mid columns massive, grand and tall. 

K^ot so with her — her very heart bowed down 

With meelmess low, as bends the lily's cup 

When balmy gales of spring sweep through the vale, 

The proud and haughty lavished forth their gold, 

Till heaps were high of rich men's yellow ore. 

And purse-proud worldlings made their open show 

Of largest charity. Half hid, she stole 

To 'scape observing eyes and drop her mite 

In coffers rich, for heaven set apart ; 

A blush stole o'er her cheek : the gift was small, 

So poor an offering for so great a cause, 

'Mid so much wealth, — 'twas less than naught ! 

A di'op in ocean's waves — in ocean's sands 

A grain. She faltered as it fell. A tear 



128 



May be a prayer more deep than lore of words, 

And that sad sigli wliicli swelled np from lier heart, 

To think the gift so small was all she had 

Was grateful to the ear of gracious God, 

As is the morniDg hymn which swells aloft, 

When seraphs shout Hosannas round the sun ! — 

That mite for her the daily bread might buy, 

Or give her orphan babe a better meal ; 

She thought but this, some Tnay he ])oorer still — 

And as she thought, the white-clad Charity 

Before her stood, with sad and pleading eyes. 

And outstretched hand, ashed alms for heaven's sake. 

The widow gave, and gave with it her all ! 

Ere to the coffer's base the coin had dropped. 

An angel caught and clasped it to his heart, 

And flew with it to heaven and to God ! 

Before His throne God set that mite, and lo ! 

It was a Star ! — a bright and golden orb, 

More rich than gems and virgin ore if massed 

To weigh the Andes down ! 



THE BENEDICTION 



SPIRITS 



Hauk ! a softened spirit strain, — 
I hear an airj wild refrain, 

As if the "Wind-Harp's spirit played 
To kindred unseen sprites which dwell 
In the pearl chamber of the ocean shell, 

A fairy serenade, — 
Again those wizard notes I hear. 
Steal low and sad upon mine ear, 

Like richest perfume from a plant. 
Which, through the dark and silent mghi 
Comes o'er the senses with delight — 

Hark ! to their phantom chant ! 
6^ 



130 THE BENEDICTION OF STIEITS. 



C ANTAR. 

"Mortal! bright in face and mind, 

Unto tliee our voices rise, 
For in thee are thoughts enshrined 

Like the stars that stud the skies. 
In the deep, like golden gems 

Blazing in the crown of Night, 
Or countless flowers on their stems. 

With which our Eden is bedight ; 
Mortal ! Mr, thou may'st not see 

Things within our hidden sphere, 
Eutopia's reality, 

Which in empyrean realms appear ; 
Yet for thee shall elfin hands 

Smooth thy pillow in thy sleep, 
Whilst 'round thy couch our fairy bands 

Upon thy slumber watch shall keep ; 
Forms, unseen, shall strew thy way 

With the spring-time's brightest buds. 
Like the zephyrs when they play. 

Curling up blue water floods. 
Fauns with wands the leaves shall part 

Of flowers which before thee rise, 
'To catch the sunshiny in each heart. 

Which falls uj)on them from thine eyes ! 
About thy head shall sunbeams swarm, 

As bees which cluster round a blossom, 



THE BENEDICTION OF SPIRITS. 131 

And gentle joys shall nestle warm 
Like downy doves upon thy bosom. 

Mortal ! fair, we've raised a charm 
All thy days of earth to bless ; 

This spell shall guard thy form from harm 
And fill thy heart with happiness ; 

l^othing eldrick, weird, or dark, 

Shall assail thee with its sadness ; 
But Hope, the dove-like, from life's ark 

Brings green each promised bough of gladness." 

The chant is o'er — 

I hear no more — 
Like Memnon's mystic tone, 

Whose music with the morning fled. 
And left the pilgrim with his bended head 

In silence, and alone. 



LINES TO ^ FRIEND. 



Friend of my early days ! 
What pleasure 'tis to pour 

Into the river of a poet's art, 
"With evergreen eel and flowered shore, 
The silver runnels of such lays 
As gush from out the heart ! 

"What joy to turn again, 
"With feelings still the same, 

As when Hope's reed of fire 
Burnt like the Ghebir's flame, 
All unobserved of men. 

When first I touched my lyre ! 

What though my untaught song 
Jarred with its lines uncouth, 

Yet like white pebbles in a well. 
Beneath thy bright eye's truth 
My weakest thoughts became more strong, 
Sands, gems beneath thy spell. 



LINES TO A FRIEND. 133 

Yet still, in after years, 
Des]3ite joy's sad reverse, 

Which shows that moon's eclipse 
Such shadows prove no cnrse, 
When from onr cheeks the tears 
Are kissed by snnHt lips. 

Then, once again, my lute 
For thy sweet sake I'll string, 

Shake from it notes, like rain 
Brushed by the breeze's wing. 
Or golden, falling fruit. 

When Autumn treads the plain : — 

Come to Julia, gentle Spring ! 

Come with all thy wealth of flowers, 
In their beauteous blossoming. 

Children of the sun and showers ! 
Bring the pansy, velvet-hearted, 

Yiolet, of triple hue — 
Golden eyed, with white lids parted, 

Tearful w^ith its beaded dew. 
Every flower bring, and bless, 

For her young heart's happiness. 

Come to Julia, Summer yellow ! 

Come with all thy fruits and grain ; 
Come thou Autumn ! soft and mellow, 

O'er the brown and smoky plain, 



134 LINES TO A FRIEND. 

When the landscape heth hazy, 
Cahn, and quiet as the sides, 
When the blight hath killed the daisy, 

And the downy thistle flies ; 
But bring not thy melancholy. 
Season of the dropping leaf! 
Bind her brow with greenest holly, 

Banish every badge of grief. 
Come, old Winter ! with thy snow, 

Blowing on thy fingers numb. 
Loop her locks with mistletoe. 

And the gold chrysanthemum ; 
Paint her window with thy frost, 

As if freaksome elfin band, 
There at midnight had embossed 

Pictured groves of Pairy Land ; 
Bright upon her hearth the fiame ! 

Dance ye shadows ! black and red, 
Never mention sorrow's name. 

Where her household light is shed; 
But like some illumined vase, 

May her heart be filled with light, 
Cheering every friendly face. 

And never let her soul know night. 
Friend, farewell ! wide space doth sever 

My poor vision from thy face, 
But within my heart for ever 

Thou shalt have thy dwelling place ! 



J^ LOVE L_A.Y. 



Some thoughts of me in absent hours 

May cross thy mind's unguarded dream, 
Unheeded as the leaves and flowers 

That fading float along the stream ; 
Yet while the memory of thee 

Thrills deep my soul, and dims mine eye, 
The passing thought that speaks of me, 

Will ask in vain as brief a sigh. 
Well ! be it so — thy heart is free ; 

No hopes, no cares, to mar its rest ; 
But what I am, still let me be — 

Lonely, unloved ! so thou art blest. 

Lounger among the Tombs. 

The golden sun of chivalry 

Has sunk to rise no more, 
'Ho knight may set a maiden free, 

Mute is the troubadour, 
1^0 rivet binds the corselet's steel 

And visor there is none, 
JSTo lance to make the foemen reel, 

Or glitter in the sun ; 



136 A LOYE LAY. 

The deeds of higli renown no more 

Are told in camp and hall, 
But War with all his thunder roar 

Lies dead within his pall, 
Beside his corse the gentle Peace 

Hath planted olive boughs ; 
And lo ! the yellow corn's increase, 

And lo ! the burnished ploughs. 
Where now the field to prove the heart 

Of knight to lady true. 
Where Yalor bows to unarmed Art, 

The ancient to the new ? 
But those were glorious days of old, 

Heroic days, by Mars ! 
When wave by wave of spears was rolled. 

Outnumbering the stars ! 
When tramp of horse and banner's glance 

As cohorts gay were wheeled. 
Where neighing steeds and palfreys prance, 

And plumes o'er bright steel bonnets dance, 

And, flashing back the sun, each lance 
niuminates the field ! 

But not for days like these I pine, 

Far better hear the tale 
That old Damoetas 'neath the vine 

Tells shepherds in the vale, 
What time the Sun his shield of gold 

In zenith has displayed, 



A LOYE LAY. 137 

And white and black the fleecy fold 

Lies, panting in the shade ; 
Where by the fountain dripping cool, 

By myrtles OYerhung, 
Sit, doubled in the glassy pool, 

The groups of old and young, 
To hear some sweet sylvanic lute. 

Some oaten pipe or reed, 
Or mellow echoes of the flute. 

Whilst dancing on the mead ; 
But not for those Arcadian times 

I mourn, although, sad loss ! 
The fairy spirit of their rliymes 

Lies buried 'neath the moss. 
Although amid dark emerald groups 

Of thickest forest trees. 
The snow-white statues stand, like troops 

Of frozen ISTaiades. 
Yet hadst thou been a shepherdess. 

Thy kirtle green to trim, 
Tliy crook with pinks and pansies dress, 

And dainty daisies slim. 
Oh ! I had been content with flocks, 

l^or euYied Joyc divine. 
With blossoms to have looped thy locks. 

Their black with blushes twine. 

If but a palmer's garb of grey I bore, 

I'd kneel with sacred branches I iiad won, 



138 A LOYE LAY. 

Transform my heart into a Troubadour, 

To tell thee, love, of green-cap^^ed Lebanon. 
Alas ! the age is cold, and I am naught, — 

A very weed npon the waste of earth, — 
Beneath the musing of thine idlest thought, 

'Not e'en thy passing contemplation worth ; 
Seems it not strange so mere a glow-worm dull 

Should trim his lamp for such a Moon as thee- 
That such a lonely, solitary gull. 

Should to a mermaid whisper minstrelsy ? 
I ask not pity — rather would I make 

My nights unblest, and days as dreary prove, 
Unheard, unseen, my very heart should break 

With pride, but thou shouldst give me love for love, 
Hopeless I fear, hopeless 'twill be I feel, 

The passion that my weak vain bosom bears ; 
But 'tis a pleasure thus to press the steel 

Against my heart, whose anguish no one shares. 
Would I had never seen thy beauteous face ! 

Would I had never looked npon those eyes ! 
Or that thou didst conceal beneath thy grace 

Medusa's power, under Yenus' guise ; 
Or wert thou Sappho, that didst wildly sing 

Upon a cliff o'erhanging high the sea, 
What were the speechless ecstasy to spring 

With thee enclasped into eternity ! 
O, double torture ! thus such charms to know 

And still to know 'tis vain of hope to think, 
Like Tantalus, whose very lips o'erflow, 



A LOVE LAY. 139 

And almost drowning parches for a drink ? 
Compound ! of all that mind and beauty bring 

To make this world angelical, I pine, 
Like some lone thrush that in his bower doth sing 

Sad, and more sad, as Hope's sweet rays decline ; 
"Would thou hadst less of heaven in thy heart ! 

Or less of that which makes this world so blessed, 
For give thee more, or take away a part, 

I could not hope, or would not wish the rest ; 
But as thou art, like heliotropes I turn 

To that gold orb which luminates each leaf; 
But truth tells passion vainly it may burn. 

And on love-bud's despair drops blighting grief. 
I will not curse my fate — perchance 'twould bar 
• My entrance through some future world's bright gate, 
"Where yet within some unseen, beauteous star. 

Thy soul, touched for my hapless love, might wait. 
Oh ! talisman of all that Joy and Love, 

"Would they unite to give a being birth. 
Could ask for this, from any star above. 

Live in my heart, thou paragon of earth ! 
Yet once again, farewell, angelic face ! 

"Whose light within its beauty doth illume, 
like radiance coming from a vestal vase, 

Eternal lamp, in Hope's black catacomb ! 



Adieu ! around the sun's pavilion 
Hang the curtain clouds' vermilion, 



l^Q A LOVE LAY. 

And within tlie East, afar, 
Like a silver scymitar 
Half slieathed in a cloud of jet. 
Comes IlTight's crescent amulet ! 
While I waste like summer rain 
Tailing on a flowered plain, 
All my silver droiDS of song, 
Worthless words, which do thee wrong. 
Yet 'neath this red October sun 
Setting now far in the AYest, 
Once more, farewell ! beloved one. 
Be thou evermore thrice blessed ! 



THE POET'S ^W^A.K:E, 

TO THE MEMOllY OF H. C. B. 



Weep for tlie bright young bard ! 

Sigh tliat bis wizard hite 
Hangs in the ball witbout regard, 

Alone, unstrung and mnte. 

Let onr grief be sad and soft, 

Sing sweet music for bis fall, 
Gather from the hedge and croft 

White roses for his coronal ! 
What should deck the poet's bier ? 

Surely not the sable weeds. 
And the pomps which oft apj)ear 

For the man of common deeds ; 
Not the mere black funeral train, 

The types and signs of wordly woe, 
Not the momentary rain 

With which the worldling's eyes o'erfiow, 



1j^2 the poet's wake. 

But let grief be gently liglit 

Dropping like tlie heaven floods 
Whicli the angels weep by night, 

On the folded flower buds- 
Grief as soft as moonlight's smile, 

Sad, serene, and silver pale. 
Gazing at an ocean isle. 

Through the night's transparent veil; 
Then let Music's strain be blent 

Of the gentlest voice and words, 
Every low breathed instrument. 

With a symphony of birds. 
Autumn winds, with whispers low. 

Bustling through the leaves so red. 
And the little runnel's flow. 

Heard by night when winds are dead,- 
Let these be our chorus soft. 

When the Evening's eye is dim, 
Till we, listening, hear aloft. 
Spirit echoes to our hymn? 

Ering all gentle bloom and buds, 

Whether of the mount or meads, 
Silver lilies of the floods 

Nodding 'mong the yellow reeds ; 
Ering the bramble's bloom of snow, 

And the spiked pinks of flre. 
Which beside the fences grow. 

Guarded by the thorny briar ; 



THE poet's wake. 143 

Bring the pansj, pranked with jet, 

Flecked with white, and freaked with gold ; 
And the blue-eyed violet. 

Bending to the mossy mould ; 
Bring the sun-Hower's bright torch, 

Fronting to the God of Day, 
And from round the rustic porch 

Gather morning-glories gay ; 
Bring the fox-gloves, they who fold 

On their purple hearts their hands, 
And the tulip cups of gold, 

Streaked with flaming crimson bands ; 
Cut the mullen's slender rods. 

Studded thick with golden beads, 
And the lady-slipper's pods. 

Bursting open with their seeds ; 
Fetch the honey-suckle's horn, 

ITectar filled and yellow dyed, 
And the tassles of the corn. 

Waving in their plumy pride ; — 
Weave a garland in a ring, 

Chaplet, wreath, and rosy chain. 
Bid a troop of fairies sing. 

Tripping o'er the greensward plain ; 
Let it be a sylvan mead 

Dappled thick with grove and copse, 
Filled with winding paths, which lead 

Where the cress-kissed fountain drops. 



IM 



There bid beauty's store be spread, 

Cm-Is of jet, and Hj)s of red. 

Eyes of blue and locks of flax, 

Twined witli mistletoe's wbite wax, — • 

Beauties lighter to the eye 

Than the striped butterfly, 

Which with velvet feet doth tread 

On the crowns of thistles red. 

Every gentle sprite and fay 

Haunting night, and groves by day ; 

There shall come — and there shall be 

Every sound of minstrelsy. 

Instrument, and watching voice. 

Till the woods and air rejoice ! 

Then sweeping swift from realms above 

Like a meteor of love. 

The Poet's soul descent shall make 

To behold his earthly Wake, 

And to tell the gathered host . 

Of the phantom-peopled coast 

Far beyond the sea of skies, 

On the shores of Paradise — 

Till description grow so rare 

Every spirit shall repair 

Behind him, in a bird-like flight 

Far upward to the Realm of Light ! 



CARRIE 



Oh ! would you know the Maid of Maids, 
The peerless rose-bud of tlie prairie, 

The Sylph that haunts the Western shades ? 
'Tis bonnie, blooming, bright eyed Carrie ! 

Her young soul like the butterfly, 
Floats o'er life's flowers free and airy. 

Blue summer's cloudless heavens lie 
Eeflected in the eye of Carrie ! 

Charms round her cling like golden beads, 
Or blossoms where the night elves tarry. 

Enamelling the morning meads, 

They cluster thick round winsome Carrie ! 

Oh ! should Love o'er her throw his spell, 
Tlirice blest is he whom she shall marry, 

For 'neath their reof shall Angels dwell. 
To guard their sister spirit, Carrie ! 
7 



146 CAKEIE. 

Her eye ! it is an amulet, 

Wherein her soul sits like a fairy ! 

A dew drop in a violet ! 

An Eden in an Agate ! Carrie ! 

The wood dove may forget her nest, 
The needle from the pole may vary. 

But when thy star lights not my breast. 
Be sure Death's night o'erhangs me, Carrie. 



TO 



WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT 



Feom tliy calm eye wliat soft light streameth througli, 
Like sunbeams, in tlie still autumnal days, 
When golden leaves drop through the airy haze. 

Into the brooks of blue. 



Upon thy crown thy Lear-like locks are hoar, 
Blanched as the wing of sea-rocked albatross ; 
Thy winter beard, white as the snow-filled moss 

Hung on a Sycamore. 

Fair as the priceless fleece that Jason sheared 
From his enchanted, genii-guarded flocks, 
For whose possession Argo dared the rocks, 

Is that brave silver beard. 



148 TO WILLIAM CTJLLEN BRYANT. 

Clasped like a marble column by a vine 

Thy crowning locks do cluster tbick and strong, 
And round tby brow the myrtle buds of song 

And deathless laurels twine. 

Peace to life's sunny afternoon. 

Thou seer and poet patriarch ; 

Thou shalt walk through Death's valley dark 
As through the night the moon. 

As when of yore the bard of Samos smote 
Through the deep darkness, and there came 
Tip from his ancient harp of song a flame, 

And deep immortal note, 

As if the earth were but as one broad lyre. 

And that great master of poetic lords 

Swept strong its tense drawn cords. 
Which flashed electric fire ! 

So thou hast caught his echoed strain, 
Borne from the mighty Grecian's grave. 
O'er the i^gean's sapphire wave 

And wide Atlantic main — 

Where the black forest melts in fields of gold. 

Where great white fleets rise on the unknown seas, 
And present years out-run old centuries, — 

A land whose fate 's untold. 



TO WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT. 149 

Chaucer of tliig new found home 

Of Freedom, where Liberty doth shine, 
As erst she shone beyond the Apennine 

Upon the domes of Rome, — 

Upon thy head a benison ! 

Thou, who through our solemn woods hast walked, 
And with great E'ature's mystic spirit talked. 

And sung in unison. 

Long live ; but when thy day doth come, 
May it be like those sweet autumnal eves 
"Which whisper by the dropping leaves. 

And bear thee gently home. 

Titian, when seeing his eightieth winter glide, 
Still was the master ; so be thy charming Lyre, 
Sweetest to the ending ! and as he did expire, 

Yea, at the canvas died ! 

"When, sun-like, through the western trees, 
Thy form shall slowly sink away and fade. 
Still shall thy spirit throw amid the shade 

A moonlight o'er our memories. 



TO ^ 33 ^. 



Bonnie lassie, decked in beauty, 

Moulded by tbe band of Grace, 
All tbat's good and gentle cluster 

Round tby maiden form and face ; 
Locks of gold, tbe sbining, flaxen. 

Like Minerva's fleecy clue, 
"Woven of tbe fibrous sunbeams, 

Wben autumnal skies are blue ; 
Locks wbicb wooing winds, deligbted, 

"Witb tbeir unseen fingers sbake. 
As tbe trembbng sbadows waver 

Of tbe willows on a lake, 
Swaying witb tbe graceful motion 

Of tbe yellow barvest grain. 
As its undulating ocean 

Sinks and swells along tbe plain ; 
Locks Diana's self migbt envy. 

Or Narcissus by tbe brook, 



TO ADA. 151 

Curling, clustering, like the ringlets 

Kich with sweets Hyperion shook. 
Thou art cherished by Minerva, 

From her distaff came thy locks, 
Like the golden fleece which Argo 

Won from Jason's magic flocks ; 
Ringlets like the flax so tender, 

"Which the Fatal Sisters spin, 
Or the golden hair of Lilith, 

Adam's bride before his sin, * 
With which if she twined a lover, 

With those locks around his neck, 
Joy's wild ecstatic dream was over, 

Hope's lamp fell shivered to a wreck ! 
Cheeks which like the bloom of apples 

Blend their leaves of snow and red. 
Or the butterfly that dapples 

With crimson wings the lily's head, 
Lips like pomegranates so scarlet. 

Moist with morning's dewy beads, 
Which like that fruit display when parted, 

Teeth which shame its pearly seeds ; — 
Eyes as blue as flax in blossom, 

Where the noonday fairies hide. 
Blue more delicate than heaven. 

Blue more bright than ocean's tide. 
All in all, thy charms so tender 

Make thee more than angels are, 

* Talmud. 



152 TO ADA. 

Like the concentrated splendor 

Of tlie diamond by a star, 
That, in heaven shines resplendent, 

Bright with pure celestial worth, 
But woman, formed for man's attendant, 

Eternally illumines earth. 



LINES, 



UPON RECEIVING A 



TT^IN-HEJLRTED ROSE. 



Thotj freak of nature's frolic mood, 
Thou child of Love and Fancy wed, 

How shall thy look be understood, 
Thy leaves interpreted ? 



Were each bud lone, its language dumb, 
"Would tell of Eden's rarest fruit. 

But hand in hand as thus ye come, 
'Tis blushing Eve, and Adam mute. 



How vain my swelKng bosom grows. 

Thus together, yet apart, 
To dream the symbol of this rose 

Is soul to soul, and heart to heart. 

7* 



154 ON RECEIVING A TWIN-HEARTED ROSE, 

Oh ! were my lip but like its leaves 
Thus near to thine, more sweet by far, 

To catch the nectar it receives, 

Like dew drops from the morning star. 

E"or waiting like the common flowers 
"Which only woo when zephyrs' will, 

A clasp of love for life were ours, 
Ay ! e'en in death a love-clasp still ! 

United in the morn or night. 
Embracing in the storm or sun, 

Living both in love and light, 
Dying both as one ! 



ST^IsrZA.S. 



Gentle Lady of my lyre, 

Sweet enchantress of my song, 
On a lightning-winged desire 

I am "borne to thee along, 
And within thy fancied presence 

I am brought again to see 
The sweet evanished pleasance 

Which blesses memory. 



I have had my day of gladness, 

I have drank my cup of bliss, 
And upon my cheek of sadness 

Sweet Hope hath left her kiss ; 
But now my day doth darken. 

And the bead hath left my wine, 
And as I walk I hearken 

To a foot that follows mine, 



156 STANZA.S. 

'Tis Time ! tlie phantom mower, 

Of the human blades of grass, 
And with awe my tread grows slower, 

As I mark his fatal glass, 
For the sands are well-nigh wasted. 

While far, far is the goal. 
Where the Eden fruit 's imtasted. 

By the river of the soul. 



But like swallows as they twitter. 

O'er the wave through sun and shade, 
Happy thoughts around me flitter. 

Thoughts of thee, beloved maid 
And like moonlight on the ocean. 

When the black is changed to pearl, 
Bemembrance turns emotion 

To beatitude, dear girl ! 



There are groves as green and cheering 

Under canopies of snows. 
As when the spring appearing 

Decks the woodland with the rose, 
There are hearts with love so laden. 

That they make grief's self divine. 
Turn woe to joy — fair maiden ! 

Such a magic heart is thine ! 



STANZAS. 157 

Thou dost sanctify each sorrow, 

And with such a holy art, 
That the promise of the moiTow 

Drives the past pain from the heart; 
And though false the fair deceiving, 

Of the sibyl Future's wile, 
I will rest content, believing, 

'ITeath the rainbow of thy smile. 



A.LIOE. 



Through the Muse's temple solemn 

Hamited by a spirit band, 
Lights she np the darkened column, 

By the lamp within her hand. 
And the ancient statues hoary, 

In their niches seem to start, 
As like bright Madonna's glory 

Golden rays shoot from her heart ! 

Twine the myrtle round the chalice, 
Pledge me now ye festive throng, 

Brimmers, to the dark-eyed Alice, 
Priestess of the Halls of Song ! 

Kot the Yestal Yirgin purer, 
"With the white rose on her head, 

iNor can painted Joy allure her, 
"With his poison goblet red. 



ALICE. 159 



!N"ot the Delphic shrine's attendant, 

N"or fair Isis of the Nile, 
Seems so holj and resplendent 

As her dark eye's mystic smile. 

Eill me then a crystal chalice, 
"With ambrosial, ruby wine. 

Join me to the health of Alice ! 
Alice of the muse's shrine ! 

Druid priestess crowned with holly, 

And the waxen mistletoe. 
Or the ivy, melancholy. 

Hath not such a brow of snow, 
Where the raven lock reposes, 

While her magic lips and eyes 
Seem made up of night and roses. 

In a dreamy Paradise ! 

Banish then all earthly malice, 
Fill with joy the mystic bowl. 

Pledge me deep to gentle Alice ! 
Alice, Empress of the Soul ! 

Bring me flowers of the Aloe, 
And the Ceris of the West, 

Round the temples like a halo. 
Let the blooming chaplet rest ; 



160 ALICE. 

Bring me tuneful backwood thrushes, 
Bh'ds no common eye hath seen, 

Dwellers where the red-bud blushes, 
As the minstrels of our queen ! 

"No nightingale by Eastern palace, 
Worthy plaint for her hath made, 

Only Western things for Alice, 
Alice of the haunted shade ! 



ST^NZA.S 



Why dost thou haunt my breast, 

Child of the woodj West ! 
When I have wandered away from thee far ? 

Coming in silver light 

O'er my heart's sable night, 
Gilding my gloom like a radiant star. 



Why in this distant place 

Where not a single face 
Greets me with smiles I was wont to receive. 

Why will thy form intrude. 

Breaking my solitude. 
Giving me joy, when I'm dying to grieve ? — 

As when the grape is pressed 
So is the heart distressed. 
Yielding when crushed its most delicate flood, 



162 STANZAS. 

Or as the odor lies 
Where the young flower dies 
Embalmed in its perfume, but bruised in its bud. 

Why wilt thou follow me 

Over the land and sea, 
Like a white Dove on a dark Raven's track ? 

Luring me home to rest, 

In my beloved West, 
Where my sad eyes are turned mournfully back. 

Go ! leave me, loved and blest 

Child of my worshipped West, 
Land ! where the sun goes to sleep on the hills, 

And when awaking. 

Through black forests breaking. 
His lances of silver strike bright on the rills ! 

Go ! thou angelic form. 

Rainbow above the storm ! 
Dazzhng in beauty, eluding my arms ! 

Even to think of thee 

Is madness, is ecstasy — 
A dream of enchantment — a vision of charms ! 

Go ! leave me all alone. 
Like night in the Polar zone. 
Where not a morn breaks till life's winter is o'er, 



STANZAS. 163 

Eather than let me die 
Feasting my charmed eye 
On the wild lights that illumine that shore. 



Why did I ever sup 

Of that Circean cup, 
Drinking Love's poison from Beauty's bright bowl ? 

Oh ! in thy spicy breath, 

Eden itself, and death. 
Won me to worship, and lost me my soul I 



TO aEMEVIEVE 



FoK whom shall I my lyric sing, 

For whom love's rosy garland weave ? 

For thee, thou seraph stripped of wing ! 
My gentle Genevieve. 

As cloud at night, thy hair is black, 

Thy cheek like light the snn doth leave, 

The crimson print of Evening's track, 
Deep blnshing Genevieve. 

Like hyacinths in snowy bank, 
Thy blue eyes 'neath thy brow are set, 

As if twin stars had in a prank 
Hid each within a violet ! 

Thy featm^es all, are but to me 

A mirror, where thy thoughts are seen, 
As stars which look up from the sea, 

In silver nights serene. 



TO GENEVIEVE. 165 



And bright as when o'er rosy tide 
The halcyon rides the waves, 

Thy winged smiles in sunshine glide 
And sink in coral caves. 



ITight's fingers dark have twined thy hair, 
Morn's lips thy li]3s have pressed, 

And Eve's soft dreams have lingered there, 
In those dark eyes to rest. 



But not the Eve that kisses ]^ight, 
'Nor Eden's beauteous Eve, 

Is clothed to me in such a light 
As thou art, Genevieve ! 



Gloom may shade life's sunny way. 

And Mirth embrace with Woe, to grieve, 

Shed but thy gleam, thou star of Day ! 
'Twill light my path, bright Genevieve ! 

!N"ow fare thee well ! a sad regret 
I feel to part, but I must leave, 

I have no heart for more, but yet 
Adieu, ma plus belle Genevieve ! 



C A. N T A. R 



Shining, for ever, 

On mj life's river, 
Flower of love ! by the waters of bliss — 

Sweet, tliy red lips 

Throw a transient eclipse 
Where shadow and wavelet commingle and kiss. 

E-oseate Lily ! 

Tremblingly stilly. 
Dear contradiction of pleasure and pain ; 

All light is about thee. 

All darkness without thee. 
Like the Angel that bends his bright wings o'er the rain, 

A year has departed. 

Yet I, where I started. 
An enthusiast kneeling at beauty's bright shrine, 

Each day she seems dearer, 

And yet nothing nearer. 
Spell bound I am gazing on magic divine. 



CANTAE. 167 

My fair vision, vanish ! 

In mercy — or banish. 
My fond soul by saying yon love, or you hate ; 

Give Hope some dear token, 

Or be the spell broken. 
Whose web has enthralled me, the captive of Fate. 

The long night is waning, 

I cease my complaining ; 
Perchance ere another dark year rolls its sand, 

The boatman that ever 

Doth cross the Black Eiver, 
Shall point the way o'er to a mystical land ! 

What e'er Fate's decreeing, 

Thou, beautiful being ! 
Shalt live in my heart, like the fire of the Greeks ; 

There, there, at its altar. 

When Hope's voice shall falter, 
Thy name shall be last, of all else that she speaks ! — 



TO MY COUSIN, 
MRS. F. M. GARDINER. 



In thine eye's dark fountain, 

I can see there swelling, 
Gold and silver sands. 

From Truth's sacred dwelling, 
In the light of Love evermore upwelling. 

I feel those mystic waters 

Make it understood, 
That a kindred nature. 

Joining us in blood, 
Poured from one same fountain our being's living flood- 
As oft upon a mountain 

A clear spring gushes forth, 
To right and left departing 

From its spot of birth, 
One flowing far to southward, the other to the north. 



TO MRS. F. M. GARDINER. 169 

Still wide and wider wending, 

By rock and chasm riven, 
Divided still by distance, 
Apart still ever driven, 
Till gathered and united as the sea mists are in heaven ! 

Yet ere we've reached Death's ocean, 

On Life's broad continent, 
'Tis sweet to mingle, and to find 

Floods from the peaks of being sent 
Thus to bless each other as their tides are blent. 

Yet though my heart's sti-eam darkly 

A night-shade shore doth lave, 
"Winds through a land of shadows, 
A plain with many a grave. 
Yet shall it grow more lucid commingled with thy wave. 

And thus with thee united — 

I would wander to that sea 
Whose broad spread vista opens. 

So calm and tranquilly 
On that unknown Pacific, the blue Eternity ! 



TO 



THOMAS BUCHANAN READ, 

ON HIS DEPARTURE FROM AMERICA FOR ITALY. 



ITow, fare tliee well ! Bard of my own backwoods ! 

'New Minnesinger of the Occident ! 
Thy beaded track be on the dark blue floods — 

A Milky Way on towards the Orient. 
The flying Angel of the Winds shall press 

His nnseeii hands against thy bellied sail ; 
Thy ship the desert ocean's wilderness 

Sweep, like a white cloud o'er a deep blue vale. 
Bard of the woody West ! we part. Around 

Tlie dark clue of life's mingled cord 
Thy friendship, as a golden band has wound, 

Circling, like fairy flowered rings the sward. 



TO THOMAS BUCHANAN liEAD. 171 

I've seen thee touch, as with a wand of fire. 

The lifeless canvas — till a living soul 
Thou didst from out the shades inspire : 

Like crimson horsemen round the midnight pole. 
But rarer yet, Agrippa's glass thou hast, 

Where Nature's panorama is displayed ; 
The poet's shell, where, ere the vision's past, 

'Tis burnt in words of golden light and shade ! 

Friend of my heart ! I do confess me weak. 

And own thy praise hath made my pure muse proud, 
As though an albatross should, in his beak, 

Bear from the wave a sea-weed to the cloud ! 
To me thou leav'st a picture of thy face — 

Though broke, upon my heart it shall be whole, 
And memory's eyes into thine own shall gaze — 

Those open windows of thy sunny soul ! 
And wilt thou, friend, in some calm, musing mood, 

Shoot back an arrow from thy heart to mine — 
A sunbeam from thine x\.lpine solitude — 

A thought as brief as bead upon the wine ? 
Be it w^hen twilight on the Arno's wave, 

With purple pinions deepening into gloom, 
Lulls all to sleep and shadowed silence, save 

E'ight's sweet flowers bursting from dayhght's tomb ! 
At such an hour, then mark you some one star 

That seems to hover o'er our blessed West. 
Be sure, my friend, I've fixed one East afar, 

And he beneath, in silence, I have blessed. 



TO 



]VIRS. ^ISTN STEELE, 

OF KENTUCKY. 



Angel of my saddest hours. 

Unto tliee I weave my lay, 
Tliou like sunlight midst the flowers, 

In a gloomy, darksome day, 
Bringest with thy gentle presence 

Cheerfulness and heart's delight — 
All of joyance, glee and pleasance, 

Like the moon which comes at night. 

Ever in my heart's lone sadness. 

When death watched — the spectre gaunt — 

Came thine angel form of gladness, 

And 'round thee night grew radiant ! j 



TO MES. ANN STEELE. 

Then I almost seemed to listen 
To the Yoice of one above — 

Wings seemed on thee, which did glisten 
In the hallowed light of love. 



As in Maj, the breezes warming, 

From dark earth bring blossoms rife ; 
So didst thon, with gayness charming, 

Kaise from death, the rose of life ; 
Staying Time, with scythe uplifted, 

Poised to strike life's flower, dead, 
And from earth, by storm blast drifted, 

Rear anew its drooping head. 



Angel of my saddest hours, 

Like the Autumn birds which stay 
In the dropping leafy bowers. 

When the Summer fleets away. 
Gladdening with their songs the gayest, 

All the thick embrowned wood, 
And amid eve's shadows greyest, 

Lighting up its solitude. 

Thou, like music heard in sorrow, 
Luring man from dreams of woe, 

Seemest from the skies to borrow 
Solace for the world below ; 



173 



174 TO MRS. ANN STEELE. 

Wooing from grief's mournful folly, 

With a tender toucliing kiss, 
Till thy clieek, pale, Melancliolj, 

"Wears a rosv a^low of bliss. 

Dearest angel ! thou hast lighted 

With thy lamp this soul of mine. 
And into my heart benighted, 

Rays from thy gold pinions shine. 
Till like poor Icelandic lover. 

Where the ISTorth Light paints the snows, 
I see the rainbows o'er me hover. 

And forget all former woes. 



colum:bia., 

the queen of the west. 



A SONG. 



Hail ! hail to the land of Liberty's birth, 

The sweet sunny chme she loves best, 
The home of her heart, and the Eden of earth, 

Columbia, the Queen of the West ! 
On each hand giant oceans are sleeping. 

Lake pearls on her brow glitter sweet, 
O'er the Gulf come the blue billows sweeping. 

And kiss the white sands at her feet. 



Her yeomen defend their homes on the shore. 
Her bold sailors sweep the deep sea, 

And battle may rage, or tempest may roar, 
But God guards the home of the free ; 



176 COLUMBIA, THE QUEEN OF THE WEST. 

And the lieart tliat the tyrant is crushing, 

'Mid Europe's oppression and wars, 
To the standard of freedom comes rushing, 

And clings to the stripes and the stars ! 

From Maine's snowy hills with cloud kissing pines, 

To Florida's blossom-clad glades, 
To the new realm of Gold with its glittering mines, 

Its prairies, and dark forest shades, 
ISTot a knee of a mortal there bendeth 

In all the wide land to a throne. 
But the hymn of the million ascendeth 

For a God and a land of our own ! 



Then hail ! to young Freedom, who rides on the storm. 

Like Jove, with his thunder-bird bold. 
In the high blue of heaven we see her fair form, 

"While we kneel, and we bless to behold. 
And we shout, with our voices in chorus. 

Bright Land ! be thy name ever blest ! 
"While the spirit of Washington o'er us 

Smiles on the young Queen of the West ! — 



B^RO^ROLE 



CoivEE ! speed away, the breeze grows louder, 

The sun sets red in Ocean's bed. 
The waves like steeds tlieir manes fling prouder, 

They leap and spread and toss each head ; 
The ruddy clouds to westward gleaming. 

Send forth the gale which swells om* sail, 
Above our heads the sea-bird screaming 

The black storm rides, dark waves grow pale ! 



Afar ! we hear the thunder sounding. 

The sky grows dark above our bark. 
O'er roaring billows far rebounding 

Light as a lark sweeps on our ark ! 
IsTow red we see the beacon blazing, 

Whose gleams illume the seas of gloom, 
And on the shore behold those gazing, 

Who deem our doom an ocean tomb ! 
8^ 



178 BARCAROLE. 

Fear not ! altlioiigli the billow springing, 

'Mid tempest loud should kiss the cloud, 
We, like the white bird o'er us winging, 

Will not be bowed, but meet it proud,— 
Behold ! the haven swift we're gaining. 

Which wooes each guest to give him rest. 
And soon fond eyes will fast be raining. 

Of maids close pressed to lover's breast ! 



LUTE A.3SrD LOVE 



A SONG. 



Come let iis sing — 
Life's silver string 

But half its songs liatli spoken, 
And in the soul 
Love's golden bowl 

Lies by the well unbroken ; 
Then seize the lute, 
'Nov deem Mirth's fruit 

The apples of Gomorrah, 
Since Joy and Bliss 
The tear drops kiss 

From off the cheek of Sorrow. 

The day but shows 
Its gloom to those 
Who live amid repining. 



180 LTJTE AND LOVE. 

'Nov niglit so dark 
But some bright spark 

In shade will yet be shining ; 
While Winter's snows 
But bring the rose, 

The Spring-time's scarlet token : 
Then let us sing 
The silver string 

And golden bowl unbroken. 

To Love and Song 
Our lives belong, 

They make this earth Elysian, 
And death so strange 
Is but to change 

To heaven's brighter vision ; 
While He above 
Will bless the love 

And words our lips have spoken, 
And we shall sing 
When silver string 

And golden bowl lie broken ! 



B^IlCA.ROI.E 



Come when tlie daylight is dying, 
Far o'er the blue water plying, 
When stars lie asleep 
On the face of the deep, 
And flash in our wake as we're flying; 
"When soft the evening zephyr swells, 
And wild waves break o'er sands and shells. 
Chorus — " Come when," &c. 



Come when the darkness is paling. 

Come when the Moon is unveiling. 

Our songs shall illume 

All the shadowy gloom, 

And ring thro' the air as we're saiKng — 

"While every breeze that sweeps along, 

Shall bear away our gentle song. 

Chorus — '' Come when," &c. 



182 BAECA.ROLE. 

We'll glide where the mermaid is flinging 

Her hair to the wild billows springing, 

"When the sea-berry waves 

O'er the red coral caves, 

And the harps of the ocean are ringing ! 

And in the hollow cavern's cells 

We'll hear the water fairy's bells. 

Chorus— '-'' GovciQ when," &c. 

We'll glide by the shores, where the bowers 
Are filled with the fragrance of flowers, 
Where the spirit of love 
Haunts the cove by the grove. 
And blesses a joyance like ours, 
While echo all the night replies, 
Sing on, sail on. Time flies. Time flies ! 
Chorus — " Come when," &c. 



SYREIST'S SFELL 



A SONG, 



There's an eye that's as blue as the violet's bell. 

When damp with the dews of the morning, 

And a look that's as mild as the gentle gazelle, 

The face of the fair one adorning. 

There's a hue in her cheek like the roseate tinge 

"When the sun o'er the waters at even. 

Sends his warm flush of light, through the vapory fringe, 

Of the white clouds which sleep in the heaven. 

The breeze that comes rippling the water's smooth face, 

Like her smile, makes the beautiful sweeter, 

And a laugh o'er her countenance dances with grace. 

Like the beam on the wave, when you meet her. 

There's a charm in her voice, and a bliss in each word. 

As the spirit of mirth in it haunting, 

Like the form of a bird in the woodland that's heard. 

Which is hid while its strain is enchanting. 



184: syeen's spell. 

The fairy tliat dwells in tlie crystal decked cells, 

Has no charm like her own for beguiling, 

For there's nothing that tells while she's weaving her 

spells, 
But your heart is enchained by her smiling. 
Ah ! trust not the glance of her eye when its ray 
Sends light in your bosom's recesses, 
For as night follows day, so will grave follow gay, 
For her smile is your bane, while it blesses ! 



HERE'S A HEALTH TO AULD SCOTIA. 



A SONG. 



I 



Heee's a health to aiilcl Scotia, and dear Eobie Burns, 
The land of the thistle, the furze, and the ferns ; 
Braw chiels are they a', frae the Ayr to the Dee, 
Frae the Cheviot Hills, to the waves of the Spey. 
There snowy Ben [N'evis stands white as the moon. 
And silver Loch Lomond, and dear " Bonnie Doon," 
And a thousand sweet spots that w^e clasp to each breast, 
Made dear by the Bard to our hearts in the "West ! 

Anld Scotia ! auld Scotia ! how oft thy bright blades 
Have flashed through the forest, and lighted the shades I 
"When clarion and pibroch burst forth in a peal. 
Till a storm shook the hills from the clash of the steel ! 
But the tempest which raged through the firs and the 

pines 
ISTow sleeps, and the Eose with the Thistle entwines, 
And high on Ben Lawers an Angel in mail 
Doth wave the white banner of Peace in the gale. 



Then hail Caledonia ! the home of brave men, 
And lassies, who grace every mountain and glen, 
Like the flowers which bloom on the heather so bare, 
'Mid the brown waving broom sae smiling and fair. 
Fareweel to thee Eobin ! the wee waters start 
Out the springs of the 'ee, frae the well of the heart! 
Thy memory we'll toast wherever Fate turns, 
Wi' Scotland for ever ! and auld Kobie Burns ! 



HOME IlSr THE TTEST, 



A SONG. 



They may sing of tlie lands o'er tlie desert of brine, 

Where the earth in its age has grown grey, 
Where the bright rivers roll through the valleys of vine, 

And the old castles fall to decay. 
But give me the land where the sun goes to sleep 

On the blue mountain's cloud-mantled crest, 
And where rivers of gold through the green valleys 
sweep 

Throuo^h the shades of the woods of the West. 



There the Spring's reddest flowers are soonest to blush, 
And the Summer grows crimson with fruit, 

And in Fall's purple bowers the sweet-throated thrush 
Sings the day breeze to sleep with his lute. 



188 HOME IN THE WEST. 

There dark are tlie forests, and briglit are tlie streams, 

And the stranger is welcome as guest, 
Where the love-lighted eye of each young maiden 
beams, 

From her green-bowered home in the West ! 



Oh ! roam where you may from the Line to the Pole, 

Thou shalt feel this wherever thou art : 
Tis the West where the sunshine falls in on the soul. 

And illumines the de23ths of the heart ! 
And dear is each hand which they nobly extend, 

Whose touch thrills at once through the breast. 
For you feel 'tis the true honest clasp of a friend, 

And your heart finds its home in the West ! 

There my friends have my faith, and the maid has my 
love, 

And in spirit there yet do I dwell. 
For my soul to its ark, still returns like the dove. 

And my lij)s still deny it farewell ! 
Oh ! when my last sigh shall be breathed on the air, 

And silent the throb of this breast, 
I ask only this, as my bosom's last prayer, 

Let me sleep my last sleep in the West ! 



M-A.IIY LYLE 



A BALLAD. 



'TwAS when the brooks of Spring were blue, 

And. "Western woods were green, 
My eyes first saw, my soul first knew 

And owned my bosom's queen ; 
The violet was in her eye. 

The sunshine in her smile, 
And I was happy roving by 

The side of Mary Lyle. 

And w^hen the silver sickles rung 

Among the golden wheat. 
When loud and gay the reapers sung, 

Her voice was low and sweet; 
Or leaning on their scythes, like Time, 

All charmed were they the while — ■ 
But mine the heart that blessed the chime. 

Of bonnie Mary Lyle. 



190 MARY LTLE. 

Wlien blue Autumnal skies were spread, 

The sun was veiled in smoke, 
And honeysuckles bright and red, 

Entwined the purple oak — 
'Twas then twin shadows, side by side, 

Grew long in sunset's smile. 
And in the cottage porch, my pride 

Was bonnie Mary Lyle. 

'Twas "Winter, and the winds were chill, 

And bitter was the air. 
And all the oaks upon the hill 

Were leafless, lone and bare ; 
But by the ruddy fireside. 

When snow o'er-topped the stile, 
I kissed by night my blushing bride, 

My loving Mary Lyle. 

But Seasons now are all as one 

Though age its frost has shed. 
And through thy jet black tresses run 

Full many a silver thread ; 
Yet though thou hast a dimmer eye, 

I see thy former smile. 
And blessing thee, I'll live and die, 

My old wife, Mary Lyle. 



BOISriSriE KITTY 



"When the simlight kissed the mountain, 

Bonnie Kitty came to bring 
Silver water from the fountain, 

Where the water-cresses spring. 
Shrinking from my love's caresses. 

Loose her raven ringlets drooped, 
And the streamlet caught her tresses, 

As she blushed, but smiling stooped — 



"Kitty !" cried I, '' hear thy lover !" 

But the laughing maiden lied 
To the cottage, through the clover, 

"With its nodding blossoms red — ■ 
*' Wanton "Willie, cease to tarry," 

Said she, as her black eye smiled, 
" Bonnie Kitty may not marry. 

Mother needs her darling child." 



192 BONNIE KITTY. 

Eatty's eyes are drowned in sorrow, 

From her clieek the rose has fled, 

or that mother on the morrow. 

In the valley fonnd a bed ! 
Round her green conch friends are weeping, 

Oh, 'twas sad to see them part ! 
Through the hand that I am keeping 

I can feel her beating heart ! 



Like the night that leaves the mountain. 

When the gloom is turned to gold. 
Once again beside the fountain, 

Bonnie Kitty I enfold. 
There I spoke my love's beguiling, 

But she answered not my strain. 
But upon my breast wept, smiling, 

Like the roses after rain ! 



r»-A.R T II 



THE SFIHITS 



A POEM IN THREE DECANTERS 



DECANTER I. 

Teeere was an ancient grave pliilosoplier, 

Whose beard was like tlie hanging moss over 

A wave-beat precipice on Ocean's shore, 

Or some old spectral sycamore. 

His brow stamped by the feet of crows, 

Like tracks of quails o'er winter's snows, 

ShoAved well how four score years could wrinkle 

Its marble like a peri-winkle. 

His eyes intense, were black and bright, 

Like locomotives seen by night ; 

His hair was silver, sowed with sable. 

He had his arm-chair and his table 

By which he sat, and pondered o'er 

Snblimest metaphysic lore. 



196 THE SPIRIT8. 

Ill all profonndest matters posted. 

Yet of liis learning never boasted ; 

A wiglit to wliom the Talmud's mysteries 

Were plain as Peter Farley's histories. 

His thoughts crept tlirough the dark, like mice, 

And ante-dated Paradise ; 

He knew of Lilith, that fair madam 

"Who acted first as bride of Adam, 

And bore to first of all progenitors, 

Of all mankind from serfs to senators, 

A brood of imps and devils — men-eaters ! 

This sage knew all that Hebrew Moses 

In all the pentateuch discloses. 

Of acting priests, and ex officio • 

In short, the scriptures, db initio^ 

From Aaron's rod to David's garters. 

From blood of bulls to blood of martyrs, 

The number of old ^^oah's wines, 

And Solomon's fair concubines. 

In brief, the matter low and high. 

From Genesis to Malachi ; 

Could give a plain, succinct narration 

From Matthew down to Pevelation. 

ISTor stopped he here — for he was master 

Of old Chaldean Zoroaster ; 

The Magi, they wdiose names have missed us, 

And all lost, but for Trismegistus. 

So cunning they that every man 

With pin could hook Leviathan. 



THE SPIRITS, 197 

Knew just what Solomon did go for 

In Gophir wooden ships to Ophir. 

The Ghebir's lire and grand Lhima, 

First cousin to the Devil's grandma, 

And close connection of the Bramah. 

]^o creed so strange yet that he shunned it, 

And punned on every learned pundit. 

Knew all Confucius' aphorisms, 

And Chinese transcendentalisms ; 

And not less deep than in Confucian 

Was he in abstruse Rosicrucian. 

Yet in the lore of Isis richer, 

With Hermes, fellow friend and pitcher ; 

Knew why the mummies all were hid 

In linen, in the Pyramid ; 

And how the buried cats in tombs 

Gave title to the catacombs ; 

And when embalmed, by what were smeared, 

By whom the pyramids were reared. 

Who dug the Crypts so deep and narrow, 

And what went with the frogs of Pharoah, 

How it came to rain and hail on. 

And how the children 'scaped to Canaan. 

Versed in the Greeks, that famous nation, 

Pythagoras and Transmigration ; 

To him was every word of Plato 

As plain as is a pared potato. 

And in a night with half a bottle 

Of gin, he mastered Aristotle ; 



198 THE SPIRITS. 

And while translating stoic Zeno, 
Won three and sixpence playing kino, 
And o'er a sandwich and a cheese 
Expounded learned Socrates. 
I:^or paused he in the lore Hellenic, 
But swallowed all the Saracenic, 
And in the Arabic could pen a 
Sonnet to great Avincenna ; 
His mind shot like a blazing comet 
Across the dogmas of Mahomet. 
"Was intimate with every man 
That's mentioned in the Alcoran — 
To him, each Koman rogue and Sabine 
Was trite as Uncle Tommy's Cabin ; 
Knew every king, and general, victor, 

Consul, praetor, qugestor, lictor, 
Knew all the leading men of State, or 

Downward to the gladiator. 

The Olympic games, in fair Thessalia. 

And, all the Roman Saturnalia ; 

And beside the classic sports, 

The names of works of countless sorts : 

Livy, Sallust, Horace, so 

Onward ; Ovid, Cicero, 

Terence, Yirgil, and Tertullian, 

And authors from a king to scullion. 

Nor halted he in times of TuUy, 

But came straight down to Raymond LuUy, 

Bonaventura and Soncinus, 



THE SPIRITS. 199 

Albertus Magnus and Aquinas, 

St. Thomas — lie who wrote us 

Master-pieces — and Duns Scotus ; 

The theologic creeds that rule men, 

Expounded by the learned schoolmen. 

In all the books that men were lost in, 

Like sage Erasmus — ancient Austin — 

Beside the Fathers — they whose lives 

Were famed for children, not for wives. 

Astronomy he could discuss, 

Confounding e'en Copernicus ; 

A tower, too, he had — they say he 

Gazed from it like Tycho Brahe, 

And puzzled much the silly so, 

Like ancient great Galileo. 

Knew all the planetary motion. 

The centre of the earth and ocean ; 

Why ships and shells are found on mountains, 

What heat supplies the boiling fountains ; 

Why Hecla, Etna, and Yesuvius, 

Came down in red hot torrents, pluvious. 

And if their depths were made to burn us. 

As Yirgil tells of Mt. Avernus ; 

Or if earth's heart be lakes of fires, 

Volcanoes but as chimney spires ; 

What mermaids in the sea are there for, 

And monstrous fishes. Why and wherefore 

Li the barren frozen zones 

We find such huge, gigantic bones ; 



200 THE SPIKITS. 

Why endless tribes of insects, plants, 
And beasts, from bats to elephants ; 
"Where swallows go in winter season ; 
In short, all queries, and their reason. 
This Theban knew the cause of thunder, 
Why rocks and oaks are reft asunder ; 
Why lightning struck a stack or steeple, 
And w^hy it killed both pigs and people ; 
Why tempests swept the tropic valleys, 
Why at the JSTorth the borealis. 
In military matters he, sir, 
Knew Alexander, Julius Caesar, 
Hannibal, and Tamerlane, 
And heroes on the land and main. 
Who, hand in hand, would stretch a band 
From Timbuctoo to Samarcand. 
In few, each mineral, tree, and cereal, 
Substance, animal, ethereal, 
Yapory, watery, fiery, fluids, 
Know^n 'twixt Adam and the Druids. 
He scaled the heights of speculation. 
And made great astral observation 
Upon the moon's effects on tides. 
The w^eather, madmen, and besides 
The aspect of the horoscope, 
Most fav'rable for making soap. 
Likewise had read the masters mighty, 
Upon the strange elixir vitae. 
And of the fascinating notion 



THE SPIEITS.- 201 

In men to find perpetual motion, 

Make gold, by simply melting dross over 

The wizard stone of the philosopher. 

How rusty lead, or hard, black metal, 

When dropped in crucible or kettle 

The startled Alchymists behold 

Pour forth a yellow stream of gold. 

But not for this had he exhausted 

All learning, till his head was frosted, 

And to the atoms had inspected 
Earth's microcosm, and projected 
A scheme complete of all the stars. 
From far Urania down to Mars ; 
Laid railroad tracks for Thought, and ran it 
Through every constellation's planet, 
'Mong comets shaped of every pattern, 
Jove's moons, and all the rings of Saturn. 
And found by clear hypotheses 
The lost one of the Pleiades ;— 
Where Hell lies in the firmament, 
Its whole arrangement and extent. 
The plans for roasting every sinner, 
How many Satan takes for dinner ; 
The fire-curtain'd rooms in Hades, 
Designed as boudoirs for the ladies-^ 
Tlie gaming, drinking rooms' extent. 
Where spirits bad are drank, and sent. 
How far you see its lakelets luminous. 
Where sulphur, tar, and coal bituminous 
9-^ 



202 THE SPIRITS. 

Roll up from crimson waves sncli clouds 

As clotlie uncounted worlds in slirouds ; 

How Hell is all fenced in wdth ice, 

A mountain wall — and Paradise 

In verdure clad, and golden liglit. 

Beyond the barrier, but in sight. 

That thousands there for ever climb, 

Like witlings up the hill of rhyme, 

Or Sisyphus, to overcome it ; 

But just as they attain the summit 

And get a glimpse of Paradise, 

Their heels slip up upon the ice. 

And scarce they feel the ground has caught 'em, 

Ere down they bump, clear to the bottona. 

In short, 'tis plainly seen that he 

Knew tweedle-dum from tweedle-dee — 

In Christian learning and profane 

To him both heaven and earth were plain. 

But now a new age had arrived, 
"Which neither monk nor sinner shrived 
Had ever dreamed before. 'Twas certain 
Great ^N^ature's hmid had drawn the curtain 
From 'twixt this world and realms ethereal, 
The Spirit Spheres and the Material, 
And scarce a cloud now hung between 
Things Visible and things Unseen. 
'No man for Death's decision waited. 
And I^ature's laws were abroo:ated : 



THE SPIRITS. 203 

Tlie outer world came close to this. 



And solved the great hypothesis ; 

Pulled down the stake and ridered fences, 

And let in all Intelligences, 

Cleared up the doubts, and scattered vapor, 

As fire devours tissue paper. 

All angels now turned common carriers, 

And kicked away the flimsy barriei's 

Which long had screened earth's population 

From inroads of the Spirit nation. 

The veil was blown away like chaff. 

And Souls came down by telegraph. 

Took Lightning's ship, and crew to man it, 

And sailed for earth from every planet, 

Or leaped o'er bars of realms together 

Like sheep, led by an old bell-wether. 

And swifter through the ether driven 

Than Lucifer kicked out of Heaven, 

And thick in air as summer flies, 

They dropped like snow-flakes from the skies. 

TVing-feathers flew like fur from hatters. 

From genii, fairies, nymphs, and satyrs ; 

The rout might well be called a mad one. 

For Satan, Lucifer, Abaddon, 

Asmodeus, and Belial, 

In strength of wings now took a trial ; 

Apollyon's horse, a four-mile scrub, 

Was neck and neck with Beelzebub. 

The Succubii all took their flight there. 



204 THE SPIRITS. 

And incubus rode on the Nightmare ! 
Indecent witches broomsticks saddle, 
And vaulting in, ride down astraddle, 
Until the coming countless legion 
Filled all Immensity's broad region. 
The air flies frightened from the rout, 
The stars behind are blotted out ; 
As thick as sand grains in simoon, 
Witch legions blacken o'er the moon, 
But Satan led the whole platoon. 
His chariot v/as a comet rushing, 
Whose brandished tail behind him brushing 
Flashed redly in the million faces, 
Who ran the sweepstake spirit races. 
Bucephalus and Alexander- 
Like, some bestrode a salamander ; 
Some like griffins, and some near a 
Winged dragon, or chimera. 
Came on, rushing, dashing, rattling. 
Whipping, spurring, shouting, battling. 
Demons, lares, imps, and witches, 
In red petticoats and breeches. 
Lashed broomsticks with their tails, like switches. 
Great bat-winged forms, on flapping pinions. 
Descended through black ISTight's dominions. 
And with a roar of winds terrific. 
As when Tornado sweeps Pacific, 
And leaping o'er the Andes frantic, 
Lifts by the hair and shakes Atlantic ! 



THE SPIRITS. 205 



DECANTER II. 

Meanwliile, as was said before, 

Like an old silver Sycamore, 

Witli green moss beard. 

So long and weird, 

In bis easy cbair rocking. 

Tbe Pbilosopber 

"Would toss over 

Many a page, 

Of a volume sage, 

"Which treated of Spiritual Knocking. 

While ever and anon proceeding. 

With his readiug. 

In his night-cap and his stockings, 

Of the lore of Spirit Knockings. 

He would muse like Aristotle, 
Eill his horn with juice of corn, 

From a bottle. 
But finding this retreating, 
As all human joys are fleeting. 

He determined to begin 
Upon a brown stone jug. 
And so he filled his mug 



With Holland gin. 
In this state of meditation, 
Upon mundane transmutation, 
Despite his deep discerning, 



206 THE SPIRITS. 

And his vast extent of learning, 

And judgment fathomless, 
His heart was ever turning. 
In throes of restless yearning. 
With this one desire burning — 

The means of Happiness. 

Thus profoundly leaning o'er 
The table, and his mystic book, 

Like an old white Sycamore 

Reflecting^ in a deep, dark brook, 

The Philosopher sat. 

And all was still, save the tick 

Of the clock — a thief in the wick — 

And the purr of the cat. 

While the neighbors all were snoring 
There upon his volume poring, 
He read the startling tales. 
Of how kitchen tubs and pails 

Danced the polka with the crock ; 
How tables and the chairs 
Promenaded up the stairs. — • 

'Twas now midnight by the clock. 
His new leaves he kept ripping, 
And his gin and sugar sipping, 
While the lamp did redly glimmer, 
As he filled and quaffed each brimmer ; 
And although his eyes grew dimmer, 
Still more slow and slowly rocking 



THE SPIRITS. 20T 

Je read the revelations 

Of tlie startling de?no7i-stvations 

Till lie heard a little tapping, 

Like a woodpecker when rapping 

On a dry old splintered stump. 

And then he heard a thnmp, 
Which was like a spirit knocking — 

So at this .sound surprising, 

He could not help just rising 

To his chimney-piece of oak 

For a pipe, to take a smoke. 
So once more to begin, 

As a sort of preparation, 

He took a full potation 
Of consolatory gin. 

So dignified and serious. 

Upon the tome mysterious ; 
With his hand beneath his chin, 

In his chair so plump with stuffing, 

He continued there his puffing. 
With alternate sips of gin. 

Forgetting then the tapping. 

As the clouds aronnd him wrapping 

Envelo23ed him in smoke. 

Like a heavy ermine cloak, 
He was reading and was rocking 

'Twixt a musing and a dozing, 

ISTow and then his eye-lids closing 
When he heard the strangest knocking 



208 THE SPIRITS 

That ever in creation 

Came to man's imagination ; 

First 'twas like a cleath-watcli ticking, 

Then turnpike hammers picking ; 
I^ext a cloud of crows and blackbirds, 

Then as over Reed and Russ's 

Pavements, roll the omnibuses. 
Or a saw mill running backwards, 

IS'ow all was still as death ; 

Sounds fled — and Echo in the hall 
Did seem to hold his breath. 

And settling quiet on the wall 
The only lonely night-fly slept. 

A black spot dimmed the lamp's red wick. 
The cat beside the chimney crept, 

And the clock grew louder in its click. 

And the Philosopher sat, with his hands 'neath his chin, 

And his elbows on the table. 
And there likewise his jug of gin. 

In his arm-chair, comfortable. 
His eyes were thrown down, and his eyelids they 

drooped. 
And his spectacles slipped from his nose as he stooped. 

"Now like the breeze when the morning is mildest. 

Came an air-music from distance, and dim, 
ITow swelKng, now sinking, now softest, now wildest, 



THE SPIRITS. 209 



nn : 



ISTever was lieard a more exquisite hjm 
" We are Water E"jmplis, who glide 
With open eyes beneath the tide, 
Haunt the cool, green, mossy well, 
Hark ! the plash ! the bucket fell ! 
Spirit hands, and not of flesh, 
Soon shall bring you water fresh." 
They came in a train of most exquisite grace, 
And bore him bright water within a gold vase. 
They vanished, and another strain 
Came through the broken window-pane : 
"We are Sylj)hs that haunt the glade. 
In the starlit forest shade. 
On the moss we all repose. 
Pillowed each upon a rose. 
Here's a garland from the dell ! 
We must hence, so fare thee well !" 
Their forms melted out, as a rainbow that fades, 
And their voices were lost in the woods and the shades. 
Now came in a sprightly throng. 
In little coats some two feet Ions', 
And walked around in pleasing pride. 
Their green cloaks flapping open wide, 
And hand in hand they form a ring. 
And sing and dance, and dance and sing. 

" We the good fairies, 
Attend to your dairies. 
Walk by the moonlight upon the great heath ; 



210 THE SPIRITS. 

We dance on the daisy, 

When midnight is hazy, 
And sport on the plain, round a circular wreath ; 

We'll wash every platter. 

And mix np yonr batter, 
Cook you good victuals, put money in shoes ; 

Up stairs we will clamber 

And sweep ont your chamber. 
Or lather and shave yon at once, if you choose." 

The sage liked not the shavers^ 
And ere they could begin it. 

He thanked them for their favors, 
And they scattered in a minute. 

And then a sound of laughter 

Shook the house from floor to rafter, 

As if Bashan's bulls did bellow ; 

Then came Kobin, the Good Fellow, 

An active, nimble elf. 

Hopped upon the mantle shelf; 

So, with awkward bow and grace 

Sitting there he spoke apace : 

" I'll cut wood, and drudge. 
Till the cock sound his horn ; 

For a mess of new milk 
I will grind you your corn, 

I'll milk all your cows, 
And I'll go to your bin, 








But amid the noisy storm. 

Came a most angelic thing. 
Like a woman in her form, 

And a seraph in her wing 



THE SPIKITS. 211 

Thresh your wheat, mend your ploughs, 
If you'll give me some gm." 

" You infernal son of Pan !" 

Began the sage old man, 
'' Just dare to touch that bottle, you 

Scoundrel, and I'll throttle you !" 

He changed in an instant, and set up a howl. 

And flew through the w^indow-pane broken, a grim, 

Great-eyed, and horrible loud-hooting owl, 
As if a new pain had just broken in him. 

On a sudden great laughs, and a-sudden great groans. 
And the house was thick pelted with showers of stones, 
A flash of great flames, and a wonderful light, 
And a rattle of chains that afi'righted the night. 

But amid the noisy storm. 

Came a most angelic thing, 
Like a woman in her form, 

And a seraph in her wing. 

Her eye was like the summer sky. 
Which golden beams shoot through, 

Reflected in a violet. 
Upon a drop of dew ! 

Her clustered curls danced round her head, 
Like golden bees when swarming, 



212 THE SPIRITS, 

As if to settle on lier moiitli 



So lioney red, and charming. 
Her faultless figures showed so well, 

That like the rainbow bended. 
Where one charm sprang, you scarce could tell. 

Or where another ended. — 
There the philosophic sage sat gazing, 
On this beauty so amazing. 
By her transcendent charms o'erpowered. 
His tongue became a coward 
To his heart's ecstatic bliss — 
To crave the heaven of her kiss. 
But, instead of this demand. 
He stroke his beard down with his hand, 
And, with accents mild and bland. 
Said politely, neither more nor less. 
Than, " Whom have I the honor to address ?" 



Then, the Presence with a smile 

Beatifically kind. 
More blessed than the sunshine 

That falleth on the blind. 
Replied, " I am, most learned sage, 
The long sought for, of every age. 
In this sphere I had my birth ; 
Coeval with the prime of earth. 
My fate has been, for ever 

To wander o'er its face — 



THE SPIRITS. 213 

Pass everywhere, but never 

Rest content in any place. 
Close behind me, there is pacing, 

In pursuit, from clime to clime, 
A monster ever chasing 

On my footsteps, — it is Time ! 
My coming is the warning 

For the flight of Sorrow, black. 
Like the N'ight, that sees the Morning 

Sandaled, on his golden track. 
Through the dungeon's darksome grating, 

To the pris'ner I appear ; 
Yet, for but a moment waiting, 

Pass away and drop a tear. 
When a child comes into being. 

With a smile I greet its birth — ■ 
Go upward with their souls, when fleeing. 

In the arms of Death, from earth. 
Where I come contention ceases — 

Envy, Hatred, Crime, and Strife 
Break their bloody swords in pieces. 

And embrace for better life. 
Yet, though all w^oidd be detaining, 

Welcoming me everywhere 
Brief is ever my remaining. 

For the world is in my care ! 
Those that look for my returning 

Must have tJiia well understood ; 
Pay my visits flrst by learning 



214: THE SPIRITS. 

How to do the utmost good. 
As tlie glow-worms light each other, 

Shining in the dark and damp, 
So, in sorrow, to his brother, 

Man should hold a friendly lamp. 
Thus, while torch by torch is burning, 

Light universal will arise, 
And angels will behold earth turning 

To a mirror of the skies." 



Then the Presence took a rest, 

As if for breath, and thought ; 
But the sage forestalled his guest, 

And her locomotive caught ; 
And he stopped her train of cars. 

Whose small-talk wheels were v/hirled 
On a track laid through the stars, 

And around about the world. 
By interposing thus — 

" Upon my honor. Miss, 
Before we more discuss, 

I should like to have the bliss, 
At this stage of the debate. 

If you'll permit me just to press 
In this talk on man's estate. 

What might be your address ? 
That you're lovely to behold. 

And a lady none can doubt you. 



THE SPIRITS. 215 

But if I may be so bold, 

Have you got your card about you ? 
I'm frank to own I've pride 

In the honor of addressing 
Sucli elegance unqualiiied, 

And beauty prepossessing ; 
And were bigamy no crime, 

Though I'm married in position, 
I would waste no jot of time 

Ere I made a proposition. 
Though not inclined to roam. 

If you could appoint a meeting, 
I would leave my wife at home 

And extend you kindest greeting ; 
Or, if you have no card. 

And no extreme objections, 
I'll pay profound regard 

To your number and directions." 

With a smile like a rose hedge, 

"When spring's skies are sunny, 
Her words fell like loose leaves, 

When bees gather honey. 

" Know that I, O learned mortal ! 

Have no home, nor dwelling-place. 
To the threshold of my portal 
Human eye no step can trace. 



216 THE SPIRITS. 

I'll whisper low, that none can hear us — 

I can never rest, nor stay, 
Moving like Ahasnerns, 

Eonncl the world both night and day ; 
]S^ot, like him, pursued with sorrow, 

Like a tempest-driven leaf. 
Yet, urged on by Time, I borrow 

Space to kiss the cheek of Grief. 
Yisiting the prince and peasant, 

Foiling every scheme of Care, 
My life is ever in the present. 

And my duty everywhere. 
Therefore, vainly seek to find me. 

By town, or desert, sea, or wood ; 
I leave this, as a guide behind me : 

You'll find me when you're doing good ! 
Yet, ere I vanish as I came. 

This kiss upon thy cheek I'll press. 
Farewell ! grave sage, and know my name, 

With mortals, is called Happiness ! 

The Philosopher threw out his arms to embrace, 

Eut the Spirit slipped through, with a dexterous grace- 

With a smile that the soul of a stoic might Avin, 

Dwindled, and sank in his bottle of gin ! 

As a fountain of gold, in the sunshine, that glows, 

Sinks back in the basin from whence it arose. 



THE SPIRITS, 217 



DECANTER HI. 

The Sage was almost in despair ; 
He beat Ms breast — he tore his hair : 
He raved, he prayed, he swore, he laughed ! 
He seized the bottle, and he quaffed 
The gin, in one enormous draught. 
With, " Oh! Miss, if you hide in gin, 
You'll soon find out you're taken in !" 

When, whack ! came such a knocking, 

As if the earth's foundations 
Had just received a shocking. 

From the Beast in Kevelations ; 
When the light upon his table 
Went out, in darkness sable. 
And all the tongues of Babel 

Began an awful clatter. 
And around him, ape and monkey, 
And baboons, fat and " chunky," 
And things eared like a donkey. 

Did mow, and mime, and chatter. 
Bewildering delusion ! 
Sounds and sights, all in confusion. 

The whole place black and dull ; 
Where all the outlines shimmered. 
As two streams of red light glimmered. 

Through the eye-holes of a skull ! 
10 



218 THE SPIRITS 



Then tlie wind 'gan to whistle, 



And lightning to flash, 
And the doors and the windows 

Banged to with a crash. 
And the sage, he gazed out 

Through the large, broken pane. 
And saw — through the darkness, 

The hail and the rain — 
A lava-like stream. 

Rushing down from the sky, 
And ladders like those 

That old Jacob did spy ; 
And, descending, came Satan, 

And all of his rout ; 
Though a hundred miles off, 

The sage heard them shout ; 
While, around in his room, 

A throng there arose, 
Appearing like cats. 

Black dogs, and like crows ; 
And Shapes, with birds' beaks, 

And feet like a horse, 
Tliat haunt a sick cliamber. 

To smell of a corse. 
They yelled, and they screamed. 

And they gave out such hoots. 
As shook the grave sage 

Almost out of his boots ; 
But as fortune would have it, 



THE SPIRITS. 219 

Amid all tlieir knockings. 
He had no boots on, 
But his slippers and stockings. 

Albeit now the rain did pour, 
Shapes came in at every door, 
Down the chimney, through the roof, 
Though w^arranted zinc water-proof. 

The cellar doors all slapj)ing, 
Chimney pots to pieces snapping, 
And the outside shutters flapping, 

"While their hinges creaked with rust ; 
The roof from off the garret, 
The wind seemed it would tear it, 
Like the feathers from a parrot 

In a tropic thunder-gust. 
The sage was in a fluster. 
For around him in a cluster. 
As if a universal muster 

Of all drummers in creation 
Had met in grand reviewing, 

From every age and nation, 
And were themselves outdoing, 
In rolling and tatooing. 
As if a signal clock 
Gave announcement for a knock 

On every single door in town ; 



220 THE SPIKITS. 

With rings on lions' montlis of brass, 
Plates of metal, knobs of glass, 

Enough to bring the shingles down. 
While in every nook and corner, 
From the place where sat Jack Horner, 

To the outside martin box. 
There was one continued whacking. 
Like dry goods merchants packing, 

Or ship builders at the docks. 
Amid the frightful knocking. 
And the house about him rocking, 
A legion spirits flocking, 

Filled the room ; 
And outside they were staring 
With great red eyes, and glaring 

Through the gloom. 
And at last descending swift. 
Like a rushing thunder-drift. 

Came old Satan, and his host ; 
At this awful sight appalling 
The sage was almost falling, 

And giving up the ghost. 
But he rallied like a man. 

And facing the whole revel, 

He squared ofi" to the Devil, 
And thus to speak began : 

" Who the Devil are you, sir 
And your crew, sir ? 



THE SPIRITS. 221 

Do you take this for an ale-house, 
Or would you take my life ?" 

Then said Satan, bowing civil, 
" My name sir, is the Devil, 
And my business here, your wife." 

"Oh ! if that's all," said the Philosopher, 
" I shall not feel the loss of her ; 
But in your next coming 
I'll dispense with the drumming. 

And this infernal crowd 
With their grinning and mocking. 
And damnable knocking"" — • 
Then they all laughed aloud. 

Then the sage, red with rage, 

Ordered Satan to desist ; 
Satan laughed fit to die, 
And the sage he let fly 

At the Devil with his fist. 
And he let another fly. 

Taking right and left hand crosses, 
With a "stinger" in the eye. 

And a "plant" on his proboscis. 
But the Devil very quick 

Bound his eyes and nose with towels, 
When the sage gave him a kick. 

Which cramped up Satan's bowels. 



222 THE S P I K I T S . 

So with a desp'rate tussle 

They fell upon tiie floor. 
But the sage made out to " hussle " 

The Devil to the door — 
"Where, Japiter defend us ! 

By all Olympus' gods ! 
A force behind, tremendous. 

Kicked him forty measured rods ! 

Scarce had the sage retreated, 
And got fairly, snugly seated, 

When came Satan to the door. 
And turnino; slow the handle 
Came in night-gown, cap, with candle, 
And exclaimed — -"My dear, 'tis shocking, 
I have been this whole night knocking. 

Come to bed — 'tis nearly four ; 
And would you believe the fable. 
You have thrown our dinner-table 

Through the window, out of sight !" 
When sudden from his dreaming 

The sage stood bolt upright. 
And he saw the candle beaming, 

And his wife all dressed in white, 
And his knees smote somewhat weakly, 
And he muttered very meekly — 

" Kate, I've been a little tight." 



THE SPIEITS. 223 



MORAL. 

All tales should point a moral, and why not the Devil's 

tail, 
For Milton tells ns Sin 's ended foul, in many a scale. 
Tliis earth is only haimted in the way of Spirit kind, 
With the good or evil angels, of the good or evil mind ; 
And while Moderation blesses v\dtli a beneficial use. 
The Devil in excesses takes advantage of abuse. 
And though Superstition fill all the earth with fancied 

hosts, 
Be prudent, gay, and just, and you'll find no knocks or 

ghosts. 



YE JLl^CIENT M^RIISrER. 



\A High menial party 5d> a few select friends in Pork Place, near 
Fifth AvenueJ\ 

There was a merry wedding feast, 

Ere whiles in ISTew York, 
And witli the custom of the East, 

They ate of beans, eke pork. 

The merrie dance it moved abont 

In sooth of either sex. 
The men they drink-ed of brown stout, 

The maids of double X. 



And loud and long the glasses clank, 
And still they spin and still they waltz, 

And nine times nine they all have drank 
Of this most potent juice of malts. 



226 YE ANCIENT MAEINEK. 

[j2 Bill presented to the reader. 1 

Amid tlie guests there was a wight, 

A jolly dog was he to swill, 
And olt Sir William was he hight, 

And eke was yclept he simply. Bill. 

Amid the guests he saw a form 

On wdiom he not could choose but gaze, 

A tarpaulin beneath his arm, 
His jacket of the greenest baize. 

With striped breeches met his coat, 
His shoon were whilom tarry black, 

Black as the ribbon round his throat, 
Which fluttered wildly at his back. 

But wilder was his stony eye. 
That frozen eye of marble blue ; 

As eyne of salmon when they die, 
Or calves-foot jelly, pots of glue. 

An eye that glared, an eye that froze. 

An eye of heifer, or of ox. 
And red was his strawberry nose. 

And pitted like a pepper box. 

[ Sir Wm. striketh upon a Tar, and is stucJc.'\ 

And there that mariner doth stand, 
With his mesmeric, eldrick stare. 



YE ANCIENT MAKINEK. 227 

His beard lie stroketh witli his liand. 

And still Sir William can but gaze 
Upon liis orange- colored liair, 

With marvel and amaze, 



And yet nor mnscle can he stir, 
"Not look from off that green, green beard, 
Which waved like floating sea-weed weird. 
Before that Ancient Mariner, 



[5ir Wtn. heareth the Baden Baden, and he is about to be off by the 
first train, but Aquarius issueth the writ of ne exeat, and aitachetk 
Sir WmJ's button-hole.} 

And now the fiddle and trombone 

Do tell the polka hath begun, 
And fain Sir William would be gone, 

And starteth he to run. 



Then cried that Ancient Mariner — 
" I charge thee by thy soul 

That from my side thou must not stir," 
Then seized his button-hole ! 

" For I've a tale that thou must hear, 

A tale yet never told ; 
Then mark you, while unto thine ear 

I will a tale unfold." 



228 YE ANCIENT MARINEE. 

Sir William's dumb — all seemetli quaint, 

As must to one just born ; 
" I see thou art," quoth lie, "y' faint ; 

Let's step and get a horn." 

ISir Wm. yields to manifest destiny.'] 

He leads Sir "William by the nose, 
Off swifter than the swallow. 

As goes the Mariner he goes. 
And hath no choice but follow. 

\_They begin the internal improvetnent system.'] 

They reach a lonely coffee-house. 

And straightway enter in : 
" Sir William now with me carouse, 

And quaff a stoup of gin." 

" E'ow," quoth the Ancient Mariner, 
" Sit down just where you are, 

Nor so much as the needle stir 
Which trembles to the star ;" 

And then they each did light and smoke 
A Xentuckee cigar ! 

[_Sir "William's resistance ends in smoke.] 

Eftsoons the clouds to rise began, 
Eftsoons the strange man spoke ; 

Sir William saw a misty man, 
Grey in a wreath of smoke. 
* 4t * * * 



YE ANCIENT MARINER. 229 

f The Ancient Mariner, Aquarius, first appears upon the greenest of 
baize."] 

" We sail-ed from the Battery, 
The j oiliest of crews, 
And faded o'er the waves away 
Like cosmoramic views ! 

And fairly set the wind and tide, 
And passed the Governor's sweet isle. 

And gazing toward the Jersey side. 
We passed — the bottle for a ' smile.' 

[TAe Wilmot Proviso, the spirit of the Constitution.'} 

Thou wedding guest I see thee quake, 

And thinkest thou that we had got 
All dough where should have a cake. 

And in the locker not a shot ? 



I prithee mark me, still go on, 

'Eov tremble that we'd naught to quaff, 
Beneath we'd stowed a demijohn. 

With just three gallons and a half. 

The bright blue blanket of the Bay 
Is barred with purple, green, and gilt. 

While soft cerulean o'er us lay, 

The summer sky's far-stretching quilt. 



230 TE ANCIENT MAEINEK. 

[The wind taketh the ship's arm for a promefiade.'] 

Certes no barque could better sail, 
ISTor Chilcle be happier than this one, 

As arm-in-arm the craft and gale 
J^ow walketh by Fort Hamilton ! 

And still the wind doth bend the mast. 
And still we dance adown the tide ; 

And now we Staten Land have passed, 
And Coney Island is descried. 

[7%e gei7i of the Hesperides seen."] 

Sweet Coney Island ! Ocean's Queen ! 

Thy siller sands all shimmer bright. 
As when a snow-field's pallid sheen 

Is trodden by the moon at night ! 

[" JVepthin^s " spelling school, and inn.'] 

And soon our barque hath reached the land, 
Eftsoons our feet impress the shore ; 

And marching straightway thro' the sand 
We enter each the tabren door. 



[A meet discussion."] 

I see thou smilest. Wedding Guest ! 

Thou thinkest there was mucMe meat 
Parde ! it would thv si2:ht have bless'd. 



YE ANCIENT MARINER. 231 

I wis there never yet was seen 
Sitli Paradise was new, 

Sucli apjDetite with man, I ween, 
As dwelt within that crew. 

[Internal i7nprovem€7it system extended.'] 

The landlord's ingles brightly burned, 

His cellars yielded np their store, 
But ever and anon one turned. 

And cried aloud for more. 



\An American Twist.'] 

St. Peter ! 'twas a sight to ken 
How fast the viands fled ! 

And how before those thirsty men 
The drink evanish-ed ! 

[Chorus—'' We fly by night."' Sun-dries.] 

JSTot e'en the dry, dry sun, so thirst 

From equinoctial spree. 
When he on fields of snow doth burst, 

As this brave companie. 

{Pas Seul, a la Tarn O^ Shanter.] 

The wassail waxed loud and long, 

Ilk sang like to a lark. 
And when one finish-ed his song 

He danc-ed in his sark ! 



232 YE ANCIENT MARINER. 

\_They grow clamorous.'] 

And then the chorus rose as when 

Ye hear a yelping pack ; 
And 'mid the oyster shells ye ken, 

The bottles fall to wracke. 

\_Something in the wind.'] 

Now rise they all, as 'twere one man, 

And forth they needs must go, 
Although the skies to murk began, 

And eke the wind to blow. 

{Private exploring expedition.] 

Our goodly ship is under way. 

And we must needs go forth 
Sir John Franklin and crew to find, 
Where sun may shine, or blows the wind, 

Around the hollow North. 

{Lightning packet ship for the Arctic Circle, via JVewfoundland.] 

Our keel she cuts the foamy sea, 

Withouten wings she flieth fast. 

As doth the eagle movelessly 
Lay broad his pinions to the blast. 

I ween we were a merrie crew. 

And darting up the shore 
Our eldrick boat like magic flew 

Away by Labrador. 



YE ANCIENT MAKINEK. 233 

lLeviatha7i is disturbed in his siesta.'] 

Oil ! liolj Jonas ! 'twas a thing 

To make the stoutest quail, 
To see its pass the bird on wing, 

And push aside the whale ! 

{About this time look out for a change of weather^ 

]^ow came a calm, and then a snow. 

And then the sun did smile ; 
When, lo ! descending came a crow^ 

And cawed at me the while. 

\A blackbird appeareth.] 

Quoth I, * thou buzzard, get thee gone ! 

Thou vile corn-stealing thief!' 
But ever cawed and cawed he on, 

ISTor could I get relief. 

\A significant operation in optics.'] 

Therewith I raised a blunderbuss. 

And at him let it fly ; 
But this did yet increase his fuss, 

And winked he white his eye, 
(As one would to an omnibus 

He seeth going by.) 

[An X-pounder.] 

' Thou caytiffe wretch begone !' I cried. 
And at him I displayed, 



234 YE ANCIENT MARINER. 

And fired in his moutli so wide 
A ten-pound carronade. 

' Fals byrde !' I cried, ' that brought the snow 

To inteiTuj)t our joys, 
And boded us a sign of woe 

With thy infernal noise.' 

[The Lame7itatio7i of Jeremiah and Rachel Js-real.\ 

AVhen, all amazement, from below 

Came up our corn-ed boys. 
' Alas !' they cried, ' Oh ! wo ! oh ! wo ! 

"What sin upon thy soul, 
For thou hast killed the very crow 

That led us to the pole — 
The great North Pole, that stands so bare 
In clear hyperborean air, 

High over Symmes Hole ! 

\Begins to look rather forked. "l 

*Alas ! alas ! good lack ! good lack ! 
For lo ! here Baffin's Bay doth fork, 
And nevermore shall we get back 
Alive hito E'ew York ! 

[iSome toll timber in the ice forests. 1 

Thou vilane churl, down on thy knees ! 

Thine orisons say thrice. 
For lo ! like mountains from the seas 
The skyward peaks of ice ! 



YE ANCIENT MARINER. 235 

And liark ! a sound doth rack our brains 

Amid this region still. 
Ice cracks as if a thousand wains 

Came thundering down a hill ! 

\^Tar-tar-ean gloom.'] 

See ! darkness comes ! a tardike shower ! 
A murky gloom amid the roar, 
The seas and very heavens glower ; 

And mark the ship grows higher, higher I 

The needle spits out sparks of fire, 
Towards yon dark loadstone shore !' 

[Afew homely truths.'] 

Oh ! Erebus ! but what a night ! 

But now I see, thou Wedding Guest, 
I weary thee — it is not right. 

Thou should have sleep and rest." 

" Speak on, thou man so wild and weird, 
For thought thy hair is all unkempt, 

So strange a tale I ne'er have heard, 
]^or of its kith hath dreampt." 

[The Turn-up Pot of the Norse Gods in a Stew.] 

Then spake the Ancient Mariner — 
" Those iceberg towers' castled steeps 



236 YE ANCIENT MARINER. 

All on a sudden seemed to stir. 

And fathoms from the hidden deeps 
A thunder seemed to shoot ; 

And then the very ocean boiled. 

To crash of ice hills that recoiled, 
ISTiagara were mnte ! 

And 'neath the sea their shafts were oft 
Thrice more than they were high, 

And their dark summits struck aloft 
The stars, hid in the sky. 

\Afew Christmas roses."] 

And sudden came a rosy light. 

Like morning through the valleys, 
And bearing torch-like rainbows bright, 
Came troops of Psyche elfins, hight 
Aurora Borealis ! 

[j2 peep through Lord JRoss' telescope.'] 

And then shot up, like new balloon, 

From out the ocean bed, 
A bright, three-cornered tea-green moon ! 

And stood right overhead ! 

Oh ! Peter Hermit ! 'twas a show 
In that strange realm of snow, 
For Barnum to behold ; 



YE ANCIENT MARINEK. 237 

\_Thermometer 222 5 deg. below zero.} 

When fled the dark. 
The dead stood stark, 

Stiff frozen with the cold ! 

[^Bonaparte in his shrouds.'] 

And lo ! our very masts were bones, 
And all our arms and cross-trees spread 
Seemed skeletons, whose bodies dead 

Had gone to Davy Jones ! 



I stood aghast, and seized a mast, 

A solid bone like ice ! 
Behold my comrades on me cast 

The eyes of cocatrice. 



{Aquarius and his rosary.] 

When sudden round my neck was hung 
That stinking crow ! it made me sick, 

It seemed to tell with outstretched tongue 
That I had got a crow to pick ! 

[Vulture of the Caucasus.] 

In vain ' Prometheus !' cried I out, 
' Come help thy fellow sore distrest ;' 

Prometheus was no where about, 
And there it hung upon my breast ! 



238 YE ANCIENT MARINER. 

'Twas we pay, weaiy, endless night, 

The same three-cornered moon overhead, 

The same eternal snow in sight, 

My cold and ghastly comrades dead. 



And there the skeletons of spars, 

And thin the sails as mummy shrouds, 

Where dimly glinted through the stars, 

Like tree-tops through the mountain clouds. 

Three days, or nights, the ship stood still, 
The crow still hanging to my breast, 

And I was growing moveless chill, 
And freezing silent — like the rest. 

[Apparition — spiritual manifestation.'] 

A blesssed thought, by Holy Rood ! 

A-sudden seized my brain upon, 
I looked — and there close by me stood 

An angel ! — 'twas my demijohn ! 
Ah [ blessed s])irit ! which no clime 

Can change, no snow nor ice, 
Triumphant enemy of Time ! 

Bliss bearer, late from Paradise ! 

\Music, Elisir d^ Amour.'] 

I seized her, and how oft I kissed ! 
I wooed her as a rose-lipped maid, 




A l;i^- , Holy l;ood- 

A-suUaca ncj/ei my braiu upon, 

I looked — and there close by me stood 
Ak angei ' — 'twas inv deniiiolin ! 



YE ANCIENT MAKINEE. 239 

!N"or my caress did she resist, 

And thus we toyed, and thus we played ! 
St. Patrick ! 'twas a buxom bout, 

'Twould won thy heart, old Paddy whack us, 
To see me standing up so stout, 

Achilles grafted on to Bacchus ! 
Hope whispered, "now you've won the trick, sir; 

Since you have the wizard's spell. 
Give each one the charmed Elixir — 

See you treat your comrades well." 

[Galvanic current.} 

To their mouths I then applied it. 

Oh ! most magical of drugs ! 
All their eyes, when they had tried it. 

Snapped and flashed, like lightning-bugs ! 

[Herds of marine buffaloes interrupted in their pasture.}- 

Crash ! w^ent the ice — now mark the wonder, 
The dead men manned the shroud-like sails, 

Our ship went roaring on through thunder, 
Ploughing up the Arctic whales ! 

[Elee-mosyyiary presentations.} 

And the sea serpents they Hew 

Around our prow like hawsers, slack. 

And came up green, and gold, and blue. 
Some purple, spotted, barred, and black, 



240 YE ANCIENT MAEINEE. 

And some with tongues at tail and head, 
And some with phosphor lit the main, 

While others sponted sparkles red, 
Or left on waves a scarlet train. 



IJVew motive power, the Bar and Crow.'] 

I took that strange, now living crow, 
And tied him to onr vessel's bow. 

And never flew so fast a crow, 

And never ship so swift did plough ! 



{^TranspareJicy for the Crystal Palace.} 

I saw the sun right through the world ! 

The waters were as clear as glass. 
And round and round a whirlpool whirled, 

And in its vortex we did pass. 

[" WJiite spirits and black, red spirits and grey, mbigle, mingle, 
mingle, you that mingle may.''] 

The moon-triangle she had fled, 

Lo ! flowered hills I saw uproll, 
And all the northern spirits, red, 

"Were dancing on a sunny knoll. 

And then I saw the striped pole, 

Eftsoons I knew it Symmes' Hole. 
On it a flag, red, white, and blue. 

And striped in sunshine calm. 



YE ANCIENT MAKINEK. 24:1 

[Ann€a:ation, extending the area of freedom.'] 

Quoth I, ' Though this countree be new, 

'Tis owned by Uncle Sam.' 
I wis ye never heard such shout 

As when our crew they spied : 
*" Hold on ye fools, what are ye 'bout !' 

To our dead crew, they cried, 
' For see ye not the Maelstrom rout, 

There opens vast and wide V 
' Grammercy !' cried I, ' who will save V 

When lo ! a boat from shore ! 
A lovely damsel cleft the wave 

Amid the whirlpool's roar ; 
^ Come off! come off the ship !' she cried, 

The crew all frigid stand, 
I leaped into her boat beside, 

"We bore away for land. 
Ifow fast and fast our spectre ship 

The dreadful gulf doth near. 
Her crew stand firm, the masts do dip ! 

It roars ! thou canst not hear ! 
The crackling of a river poured 

In a volcano's mouth ; 
Compared with that would but afford 

A zephyr from the South. 

[" Bless her let her ^o."] 

I saw her go, my benison, 
Go with her ! ever on ! 
11 



242 YE ANCIENT MAEINEK. 

[" I'll forgive your Highland chief, my daughter ! oh ! my daughter /"] 

" Come back ! come back \ my orison. 

She's got mj Demi-John /" 
In vain ! the wrathful gulf it whirls, 

{^Time o^er the last of the Tar-tars."] 

Doth boil, and seethe, and roar, 
I fall in arms of rosy girls, 
I swoon upon the shore, 

\The lost Atlantic found, and the last crow heard."] 

On flower beds, 'mid houris deai-, 

I dream in love's sweet smile, 
I wake from sleep, by Chanticleer, 

I'm cof-ned^ on Coney Isle ! 



THE D^TJlPHIlsr 



"Have we a Bourbon among us?"— Old Song. 



In Eiglity-five King Louis' sight 
Beheld the Dauphin come to light ; 

With joy his very eyes were wet^ 
And eke the nurse, who sweetly smiled 
Upon the royal Bourbon child 

Of lovely Antoinette. 

But for its fate, ah ! shed a tear. 
For Simon, backed by Kobespierre, 

Thrashed and starved the infant so, 
That in its tender innocence 
It lost its little mite of sense, 

And mighty little toe. 

IS'ow, having lost its dear mamma, 
'Twas said it died by scrofula, 
Which set the realm at rest. 



24:4: THE DAUPHIN. 

So, tying up its feet in shoes. 
And witli a cross and seven sous 
They shipped it for the "West ; 

But whither not a soul could say, 
Except the rascal Belanger, 

Who swore he'd tell no woman. 
A box marked, " this side up, with care,' 
Contained the royal infant heir. 

So says Le Bay de Chaumont. 

But luckless offspring of the crown ! 
The tars the box turned upside down, 

With just a hole for bread; 
And with his brains, like bonny-clabber, 
He heard the old salts sing and jabber, 

Until they " turned his head." 

But Belanger, the cruel beast. 

Soon bore the Dauphin from the East, 

Far, far back from the seas. 
And set him down upon a stone, 
A naked baby, all alone ! 

'Mid Potawatamies ! 

But there, perchance, Belanger saw 
A moccasined and feathered squaw, 
Just as he sat him down ; 



THE DAUPHIN. 245 

And in liis heart could not refuse 
To give the woman seven sous, 
For saving France a crown. 

Thus grew the Dauphin, spared by fate. 
But never grew to man'^s estate^ 

Of taxes thus got rid so ; 
But falling in the lake, slap dash. 
His brains all came back like a Hash ! 

The charm word was Baptidzo. 

Ji^ow, although Dauphin was his name, 
And clear as mud his kingly claim, 

As clear as mine from Caesar, 
He dropped the Bourbon from that day, 
And only bore the sobriquet 

Of Williams and Eleazar ! 

But Justice, though the heavens fall, 
"Will see that right comes to us all ; 

And, therefore, Louis Philippe sent 
An embassy direct from France, 
To institute strict suTveillance 

Throughout the Western continent. 

Meanwhile, Eleazar went to teach, 
For " d— d poor pay, and d— d poor preach." 
The gospel and astronomy; 



246 THE DAUPHIN. 

The young idea tanglit to slioot, 
And " sliot the long bov/," too, to boot, 
And published Deuteronomy. 

He wandered through the Sioux and Fox. 
The Winnebagoes and the Sacs, 

And saved the lost Algonquin souls ; 
Taught Creeks and Choctaws holy laws, 
And Cherokees and Chickasaws, 

And some few Seminoles. 

De Joinville came, and searched around, 
But still no Dauphin could be found, 

'Twixt Coney Island and Belize ; 
At last upon a happy day, 
He found him fishing in Green Bay, 

And shared his bread and cheese. 

And now to buy his birth-right out 
The royal sailor set about, 

Eleazar was not willing ; 
De Joinville, rashly prodigal, 
Resolved for France to hazard all, 

So offered him a shilling. 

Up rose the royal Bourbon blood, 

Eleazar swore 'twas plain as mud 

The throne was on a see-saw. 



THE DAUPHIN. 247 

And lie would yet have France's tlirone, 
And never sell his rightful own, 
As did to Jacob, Esan. 

Then forth Eleazar brought his sous, 

And straightway kicked off both his shoes, 

As quick as Turk his turban. 
" 'Tis he, by Heavens !" De Joinville cried ; 
« 'Tis he !" the royal suite replied. 

" Eureka ! He's a Bourbon !" 

« Behold ! the missing toe!" one said. 
" The Dauphin's risen from the dead ! 

Oh ! resurrection glorious ! 
With such a proof as this to loot, 
His claim is clear beyond dispute, 

Already he's no-toe-rious /" 

^'Irrefragable evidence! 

This throws all doubt beyond defence. 

His mien's of one that's used to 
Create but by a look, revolt. 
Or wield a monarch's thunderbolt. 

And shake a throne with gusto (goose-toe). 



So, marching with majestic pace. 

He left De Joinville in that place 

And wandered like De Soto ; 



248 THE DAUPHIN. 

For days, and weeks, and months around, 
They songht him, but they only found 
That he was lost, in toto I 

And still, though year by year has fled, 
They search to lind, alive or dead, 

The man whose wrongs have wrung us ; 
And still a thousand emissaries 
Make this queerest of all qiceries^ 

" Have we a Bourbon among us ?" 

And one poor madman from Kentuck, 
The land of generous hearts and pluck, 

With nose like purple fungus, 
By day and night, by sea and shore, 
Still puts this question evermore, 

" Have we any Bourhon among us?" 

By stage, by steamboat, or by car, 
In public houses at the bar. 

Still will this crazed one tongue us. 
By looking round among the crowd, 
And asking all, just half aloud, 

"Have we any Bourdon among us?" 

We heard him in the blossomed spring. 
And 'mid the golden summer sing, 

And this the sons^ he suns: us ; 
In purple fall, or winter w^hite. 
Still sadly sings he, day and night, 

" Have we any Bouillon among us ?" 



A POEM. 

IN THREE FITS. 



" He comes ! he comes ! good Lord defend us ! 
With magic rites and things tremendous." 

" Terrible Tractoratio7i."—FESS^^oviS. 

*• Last night we saw !" 

"Lord! what?" 

"A comet!" 
" Heaven preserve and keep us from it !" 

" T/iree Old Women Weathervnse.^SxYiVLBi Caret. 

" Ah ! well-a-day ! alas ! good lack,! 
The moon is lying on her back !" 
Ibid. 

•' Who deals in Destiny's dark counsels, 
And sage opinions of the moon sells." 

JIudibras. 

" For he a rope of sand could twist, 
As well as learned Sarbonist." 

Jhid. 

Spiders their busy death-watch ticked, 

A certain sign that fate would frown ! 
The clumsy kitchen clock too clicked, 
A certain sign it was not down." 

Geo. Colman, the T<ywn^er, 
11^- 



i>roe:m 



Each age has epidemic fits 

When public bodies lose their wits, 

"Which dying out but disappear 

To be revived another year ; 

Men rush together on to battle, 

Or fly, like herds of frightened cattle ; 

When dupes are led by rogues' pretences, 

And fancy fools the sober senses ; 

When wild Imaginations seize on 

The terribly affrighted Reason, 

Till hosts of ill-set heads are knocked. 

As by electric current shocked. 

As crazy as a hat that's cocked. 

The mind's machine, when screws get loose, 

Transforms a Solon to a goose, 

And chain of truth with those who think 

Is ruined by a broken link, 

So that the even-balanced mind. 

Like bladder fattened up by wind, 

Pricked by a foolish pin of doubt 

Lets Folly in and Judgment out. 



252 PROEM. 

Thus ignorance of nature's laws 

Gives pretext for some hidden cause, 

And makes a mystery dread and serious 

Of matters not at all mysterious ; 

Divining causes for effects 

As parsons' sermons torture texts, 

And thus create for every sense 

A cause to fit the consequence. 

^Twas thus the Frenchman, who was told 

His facts and theory would not hold, 

Eeplied, I know the theory acts, 

The fault is only with the facts. 

Hail ! Mesmerism ! Protean sprite, 

Thou ignis fatuus of the night. 

That in the world's dark places blazeth 

And e'en the mid-day suu amazeth— 

Thou zigzag spirit of all ages, 

Astounding gulls, perplexing sages, 

Thou wandering light from clime to clime, 

Seen here and there by Father Time, 

Playing thy pranks, which fright and please, 

Through years which number centuries — 

Most charming child of superstition ! 

O'er all the earth extends thy mission, 

Oft killed — oft in thy tricks detected, 

But Anteus-like still resurrected, 

Alive as ever, and still fatter, 

" 'Mid crush of worlds and wreck of matter." 

From those that on thee marches steal 

Thou 'scapst their fingers like an eel, 



PKOEM. 253 

And changest on the painter's easel 
From like a camel to a weasel ; 
From that, with nimble flirt of tail, 
To something " very like a whale," — 
Now tall as Ossa heap'd on Pelion, 
Now small as mutable chameleon, 
About whose tint the travellers had 
Almost a fight, they were so mad, 
Thou hast more hues than it, or prism, 
Bright many-sided Mesmerism ! 
Thou great Uncaught ! defying still 
Pursuit of science. Wisdom's skill, 
And sagely manifesting best 
When lynx-eyed Reason 's snug at rest, 
Hear, slippery, undetected Spirit 
A wondrous tale I I pray you hear it ! — 



MES]MERISM 



FIT I. 



There was a worthy young pliysician, 

Whose mind, untonclied by superstition, 

Blazed with the diamond gems of knowledge, 

The jewel casket of his college ; 

His favorite book, tradition tells us, 

"Was learned, mystic Paracelsus, 

The father of that wondrous schism 

Thereafter christened Mesmerism. 

This doctor, young, was deeply read. 

And bore a book-case in his head, 

Which treated not alone of phthisics, 

Of fevers, colds, but metaphysics. 

The occult science of astrology, 

Metempsychosis and psychology, 

From Apuleius took degrees 

Upon the God of Socrates ; 

Knew just how many souls could stand 

Upon a pin's head, hand in hand, 



256 MESMEKISM. 

And if a disembodied million 

Could in an egg-shell dance cotillion, 

Or if an angel, clipped in twain 

"With sword, wonld straiglitw^ay heal amain, 

ITor leave behind a seam or scar 

Where passed the hair-edged scimitar. 

This Doctor knew old IVTesmer well, 

Mesmer, who studied under Hell, 

Old Father Hell, that is to saj, 

Professor, at an early day, 

Of all astronomy diversity 

In famed Vienna's university — • 

Who first received the magic plates, 

Without the smallest sign of cates, . 

Directly from the Sister Fates, 

Besides got from Balthasar Gracian, 

Some most astounding information. 

Explained how 'twas the magnet acted, 

And divers substances attracted. 

Because there's iron in all things. 

The loadstone draws them, as on wings ; 

Therefore in man his joints and node bones 

Do only act as divers loadstones, 

And head of every human soul 

Might well be reckoned as 2i^ole — 

The North, the forehead, face, and mouth, 

The back to represent the South, 

The nose the equator, and the eyes 

Divided on the Compromise ; 



MESMERISM. 25Y 

Found out that certain fluid plays 

Around a man like golden haze, 

"Which sets a seraph's face ablaze, 

Or like the light of candle-tallow, 

Or that encircling misty halo 

Which rises up from heated bodies. 

Like shimmering sands, or smoking toddies, 

Through which strange medium it appears 

Man hears with eyes, and sees with ears ; 

As Socrates, who saw a face 

Of youth, of most expressive grace, 

Said, like a true philosopher, 

" Pray sj^edk^ that I may see you, sir." 

Our doctor knew how Greataxe wrought 

On weak credulity's sick thought. 

Till thousands caught his garment's tail, 

The sick grew sound, the halt grew hale ; 

With him, no matter what the matter, he 

Threw sparks like an electric battery. 

His art might well be deemed profound one, 

Which turned a lame leg to a sound one. 

Thus, if a soldier came from war. 

With flesh enough to hold a scar. 

He could add on each missing member, 

And give a sailor's toes of timber 

A kind of strange vitality. 

Alive, not living, like a tree ; 

Or, rather, like that wondrous Elm, 

Whose miracles quite overwhelm. 



258 MESMERISM. 

Which Pujsegur did magnetize, 

To all wide France's great surprise, 

Which shook down health in every breeze, 

Made clowns as wise as Socrates, 

And in poetic lists to tilt on 

The shields of Homer, Shakespeare^ Milton, 

And ignorant peasantry to quote, 

More learning than old Plato wrote ; 

And in the heads of stupid bumpkins 

All knobbed like squash, or warty pumpkins, 

Developed phrenologic traits 

Above great Spurzheim's largest pates. 

Or all the plaster casts of Gall, 

Or any head since Adam's fall. 

Our sage young doctor now began 

On man's chief study, namely Man ; 

He knew his body from dissection, 

ISTow sought his soul by deep reflection, — 

The link 'twixt man and ape or satyr. 

The tie which fastens mind and matter, — 

How long the soul may leave the frame 

And then come back its home to claim. 

As to their holes return the foxes, 

Or martins to their ancient boxes ; — 

If mortal spirits make diversions 

Like thoughts through dream-land on excursions, 

When solemn reason's volume closes, 

And judgment silently reposes, 



MESMEEISM. 259 

When Fancy shakes her silver wings 

And upward through the ether springs. 

From star to star throughout the skies, 

From bloom to bloom like butterflies, 

Finds each new world and stops to scan it, 

And close inspects each wondrous planet,— 

Rides the blue night sea in balloon. 

Like the swift shell ship of the Moon, 

Or on the ocean's bottom travel 

O'er sands and sea-weeds, gems and gravel 

Drawn through the sub-aquatic vales 

In pearly car by leash of whales. 

Or sat upon ideal rock, high. 

With famous Fratres Roris Cocti, 

The brothers of the boiled dew. 

Whose secret Hayden thought he knew 

By false translation from the Latin, 

Who fancied man on air could fatten, 

That sunbeams had a hidden grease 

To make the lankest grow obese, 

Make cheeks of starvelings pale and hectic, *► 

Seem purple, bursting apoplectic. 

Turn spry, gaunt lawyers into slow men, 

With aldermanical abdomen. 

And feed on wind the Cassius shapen. 

Until they seemed puffed out with capon — 

Thus to increase each bladder corpus 

Till lankest lizard swelled to porpoise. 



260 MESMERISM. 

Our doctor now with full intent 

Began to try experiment, 

Whose strange results more startling grew 

Than former ages ever knew ; 

So in his office night and day, 

Collected quite a rare array 

Of girls and boys, who all were willing 

To sleep an hour for a shilling, 

And in his school to be a scholar 

Full thrice a week, for half a dollar, 

Eeversing quite the stupid rule 

That those should pay who go to school, 

A week, a month, a year was spent, 

Each day some new experiment. 

Some patients laughed, and some would weep. 

And some could put themselves asleep ; 

And oft enchained, a half a score 

Would round a table snugly snore ; 

Pull many a wight with coin in hand 

Slid off into a dreamy land. 

But while his soul w^ent up like rocket, 

The coin slipped down into his pocket. 

The doctor's very gaze terrific 

Could make a patient soporific ; 

The most impatient eyes w^ould close, 

And heads like poppies droop and doze. 

Would give a yawn profoundly deep. 

Then snore and snort, like whale asleep, 

Meanwhile their Odic force was such 



MESMERISM. 261 

That with a kind of lightning touch 
Things ponderous were thrown around 
As boys kick foot-balls from the ground. 
Each arm became with perfect ease 
The lever of Archimedes, 
Each flaccid tendon drew up tense, 
And feeble hands raised weights immense, 
"While flabby muscles turned to deal, 
And unstrung nerves to strings of steel ; 
Thus firm the flesh, like knots of pine, 
Meanwhile the vital spark divine, 
The mind, the central seat of sense, 
Emotion and intelligence. 
Shoots off as on ten-thousand wires. 
All flashing with electric fires. 
Communicating quick and terse 
With all things in the universe ; 
And tapping on the Present's drum, 
Commands the Past and time to come. 
More fully to inspect these last, 
(The Future, Present, and the Past,) 
Our doctor one day as by chance 
Threw an old woman in a trance — 
A perfect state of clairvoyance — 
An old crone, with a parchment skin. 
With pinkish eyes, and pointed chin. 
On which were sprinkled long, thin hairs, 
Like feelers on the mouths of bears ; 
Her fingers bony, crooked and skinny, 



262 MESMERISM 

Her toothless voice was cracked and tinny. 
And riding 'straddle on this hag's 
Sickle nose, like saddle bags, 
Sat spectacles of ample size, 
Through which peered out her ferret eyes. 
It seemed the face she bore abont 
Had worn a dozen bodies ont, 
"While round her lay tobacco pipes 
"With long stems, like the bills of snipes ; 
Anon she twitched her ruffled cap, 
Then gave her snuff box lid a tap : 
Such was the mesmerised dame. 
Dame Marvel was her common name. 

The doctor knowing at a glance. 

Her spirit soared in clairvoyance. 

Said, " Pray Dame Marvel may I learn 

What things you now most clear discern ?" 

The dame, in chair of largest size, 

With one hand shaded o'er her eyes, 

" Good gracious mercy ! souls alive ! 

My brain, like bees within a hive, 

Hums with solutions of all signs. 

Brought in on telegraphic lines ; 

My head is giddy with receiving 

Interpretations past believing ; 

I hold communion with all sages. 

And mystic mongers of j^ast ages. 

And from their fields of wisdom gleaning. 



MESMERISM. 263 

Divine each portent's secret meaning 

The hidden ills in their and my daj, 

And all the awfulness of Friday ! 

The sacred salt spilled by the castor, 

Prognosticating dread disaster. 

The new horned Moon ! I now behold her, 

Alack ! 'tis o'er the unlucky shoulder I 

I see a dreadful something brewing, 

Portentous of our speedy ruin ; 

My nose ! my goodness how it itches ! 

A sign infallible of witches ; 

I'm pretty sure I hear the humming 

Their broom-sticks make as they are coming, — 

!N'ow what on earth will come to pass ! 

I see snapped from the looking-glass 

A coffin crack ! an omen dire, 

While lo ! another in the fire ; 

And pop ! comes out upon my soul, 

A black and hideous coffin coal ! 

As sun by night shines through afar 

The ring of some gi-eat hollow star, 

Sending a fan of flame off from it, 

I see a witch train — like a comet, 

Peturning from their high ascension. 

Their Brocken, Sabbath-night convention, — 

A flight of most terrific hags, 

With strangled children tied in bags ; 

This indicates a bloody battle, 

Or bloody murrain among cattle. 



264: MESMERISM. 

' Their spirits speak,' Agrippa wrote, 

^ Like Irishmen, much in the throat,' 

And thus I hear their divers tongues 

Like tunes drawn from a bag-pipe's kmgs 

(One rascal Dee once had the brass 

To claim he owned Agrippa's glass ; — 

Some one at length his jewel stole — 

'Twas polished piece of cannel coal ! 

Thereby accounting for the gas 

So plenty with this knavish ass,) 

But I have got the philtre famous 

Of astrologic Nostradamus, 

And see the whole Witch- World in splendor, 

As plain as could the hag of Endor, — 

I see all evil in the egg, 

Which caused in Egypt every plague 

The innate reason can examine 

From which arises hungry famine, 

Which fools have taken in their head 

AVas chiefly from the want of bread. 

I see the green spot with abhorrence 

Fore-running Death's great dance in Florence, 

Which clammy clung upon the wall 

The pale-faced city to appal ! 

I see the witches on the plains 

Of heaven, plaiting horses' manes. 

They hitch them to the Moon's bright shallop, 

And down the blue road swiftly gallop. 

There ! in a cloud they've overset her ! 



MESMERISM. 265 

ISTow all next spring will be much wetter 
(Wliicli by the way is no strange tiling 
Since water should be in the Sjyring). 
N'ow on account of this great rain 
Will mildew fall upon the grain. 
And farmers find the fact is still true, 
Much grain of theirs yet at the mill due. 
The summer's sun the crops shall burn up, 
Koast each potatoe, boil each turnip. 
And crisped shall every salad be 
With some unheard of malady. 
Each green stalk of asparagus 
Swelled up as big as omnibus, 
And gard'ners' wages then shall fall. 
Because their celery is small. 
Wear crape upon their narrow hats. 
Their bones lose all their marrow-fats^ 
The peas no pea-jackets shall own, 
And knowing beans, a thing unknown ; 
]^o hay-cock shall be heard to crow, 
E'or cock-loft hay that season know ; 
The sheep shall rot, and fall together. 
Especially the falling wether; 
Mares seeing night-mares then appear, 
Will postpone foaling colts that year, 
ISTor gossip point out to her guest 
A single mare's ^g^ in its nest. 
Cows shall divide the yoke by halves, 
And milk of oxen suckle calves, 
12 



:2C6 MESMEKISM. 

The red head clover know no zephyrs, 
And steers misguide most prudent heifers, 
The wine press j nice, so sweet and placid, 
"Will turn to rank tartaric acid. 
And wo ! the grocer wasting money 
That year in buying tasteless honey ; 
For though the season may be long 
The work of bees shall not wax strong, 
But every bee shall sit at home 
And comb his hair, with honey-comb ; 
The orchard press no horse shall stir, 
For cider will be vinegar ; 
The sows will not turn their wallows, 
Nor down the chimneys go the swallows — 
The hogs, because they cannot root them. 
The birds, because it does not suit them ; 
The pigs shall be as pigs of lead. 
And lie inert upon their bed. 
Deem each that breaks their dusty snore 
A most insufferable hore. 

But soft ! I see the cream-faced Moon, 
That kissed Endymion, lazy loon ! 
Glued to his lips, as warm as blisters, 
Kisses, as tasteless as a sister's. 
She comes, white lady ! robed like deatlij 
Steps like the wife of Thane Macbeth, 
In strange and most prophetic rage 
Out on the broad celestial stage. 



MESMERISM. 267 

The music of the spheres she hushes 
And to the starry footlight rushes, 
Her form in cloudy drapery, 
While rising up beneath, the Sea, 
Like peeping Tom of Coventry, 
Doth almost turn his modest sight down 
To see her Moonship out in night-gown. 

Now in my head anew those bee sounds. 

And strange sights rise up in the tea-grounds. 

I see within my almanac 

A bad sign in the Zodiac ; 

I hear upon the midnight hills 

The lonesome cry of whippoorwills. 

The valleys echo with their owls, 

Dogs bay the moon with doleful howls. 

Black flies around my candle wick. 

And hark ! I hear a death-watch tick, 

And monstrous spiders on the wall, 

Back and forth do constant crawl. 

Weaving a filmy shroud and pall, — 

And now methinks upon the roof. 

With tread like solemn ghosts in proof, 

Stalk tom-cats, with unearthly calling. 

Till every wall seems caterwauling. 

Ah me ! what sight is this I see. 

Most fatal in all history ! 

Most ominous in all the year. 

Black letter in the calendar, 



268 MESMERISM. 

The number ! as I am a sinner ! 

Thirteen guests sit down to dinner ! 

E'ow one, before the year go by, 

Of these, must truly, surely die, 

And all the rest, though young and sappy, 

Shall waste in fraine, and be unhappy ! 

This is the very worst of signs, 

As Dr. Kitchener opines, 

Especially if thirteen delve 

In dinner just enough for twelve P 

Scarce made Dame Marvel this remark, 
When pealing through the midnight dark 
The town clock tolled within its tower. 
The midnight twelve, the fatal hour. 
As if death's iron hand had struck it. 
When good Dame Marvel kicked the bucket. 

Our doctor wra]3ped the dame in cloak. 

At midnight 'neath a blasted oak, 

And left her there. She looked so frightening 

The w^orld supposed her struck by lightning ; 

And to this day a host believe 

She rides the night air in a sieve. 

And of the spot a rife tradition 

Is whispered by grey superstition. 

That witches thither ride the blast, 

As thick as pigeons hunting mast, 

And on her green grave hold their revels. 

Until the cock aifrii>-])ts the devils. 



MESMERISM. 260 



FIT n. 

In time our doctor gained mncli fame, 

And round tlie countiy ran his name. 

To satisfy liis many calls 

He magnetized some minerals, 

Through which passed out electric shocks, 

As spirits which can dive through rocks. 

And with his magnets dij^ped in mummy. 

Or some like substance brown and gummy, 

His students could divine all ills. 

And recommend the kind of pills. 

See seeds in stomachs of diseases. 

As plain as living mites in cheeses. 

ISTo mortal malady so bad 

But he for it prescription had. 

Folks with blue devils cast about 

For some kind friend to cast them out. 

Did never fail with him, for he 

"Was certain death to dread ennui — 

A megrimed man who fancied he got 

Transformed into a monster tea-pot, 

Put arm a kimbo for his handle, 

To touch his spout was dreadful scandal, 

If tilted up he felt he'd drown 

With general deluge all the town. 

To dissipate this quaint delusion 

The doctor cried in wild confusion, 



270 MESMERISM. 

The city blazed !-~Tlie other drenched 

The town and conflagration quenched. 

His j)atients came as thick as stars, 

With fevers, rheums, coughs and catarrhs, 

Consumptives, one of whom at length, 

Whose body sadly failed in strength, 

Became a medium so inspired. 

The doctor took him and retired 

To private life — to have unfurled 

How priest and kingcraft rule the world ; 

For he through time and space could see, 

And substance, quite transparently ; 

Through divers blankets deftly glance, 

By telescopic clairvoyance — 

Laughed at Death's spirits, they who want us, 

Like Mithradates, King of Pontus, 

(Who ate at home, far south of Cracow, 

Hank poison, as you would tobacco.) 

'Twas now the season of the year 

When Autumn's leaves of gold appear. 

And dropping in the brooks of blue 

Dye the clear flood to purple hue ; 

And though the poet cannot answer 

Whether the sun was then in Cancer 

Or Capricorn — it was the Fall, 

'Twixt heat and cold a kind of wall. 

Where frost and moss on one side cling. 

While south in sunshine blossoms spring. 

When doctor this consumptive took 



MESMERISM. 2T1 

And mesmerised liim witli a look, 

Made rigid all his nerves and thews, 

And sent his soul through avenues 

Whose vistas lead back to the time 

When earth was in her maiden prime, 

A kind of lay -figure he seemed, 

Whose tongue alone moved as he dreamed, 

The inside work of which went on 

Like Maelzel's famed automaton ; 

And thus he spake, with voice prophetic, 

In deep clairvoyant sleep magnetic — 

•^^ I now behold in slow succession 
A solemn, dim, and vast procession, 
Of monks and nobles, priests and kings, 
Which from the world's dim twilight springs. 
David, I see, who slew Goliah, 
And stole the wife of old Uriah — 
Because he dared to have a wifis 
So beautiful, he took his life. 
And served him right, a dull, uxorious 
Dizzard, to thwart a king so glorious — 
Lo ! now I see another one. 
The wise old monarch Solomon, 
Who thouo^h the child was not so sasie 
As to divine its parentage. 
With shrewd decision, most uncommon 
Found the true mother, and false woman, 
Wisely avoiding in the cause 



2Y2 MESMEEISM. 



jjeciding who its father was ; 



For sires might be as ripe for others 

As his own oif spring were for mothers. 

I now discern that sage commander 

The Macedonian, Alexander, 

"Who by his conquests grew so great 

He could not find his marriage mate, 

So took his sister, by all odds 

Earth's nearest kindred to the Gods, 

Which good example to this day 

Brings cousins fully into play. 

And thus with daughter or with son 

Three heads have just the brains of one, 

And form the base of pedigree 

So valued in nobility. 

And parts the pure stock from the masses, 

Like cattle, horses, dogs, and asses. 

And thus the world a marvel gains 

By purest blood, and poorest brains. 

What though the present lord doth sit 

In towers where the owls do flit. 

And ivy wanders green and dank. 

He's still a lord, because of rank ; 

What though a scanty manor board, 

He's in a manner still a lord. 

One of those great creative things 

Erom whence all sense and honor springs, 

Prolific source of rare inventions. 

And pride, pufied up with big pretensions, 



MESMERISM. 273 

As useful, save in draining flagons, 

As five wheels are to one-horse wagons. 

Designed to make earth beautiful, 

Like cuckle-burrs, which steal sheep's wool. 

And ornament it, somewhat after 

The way a w^asp's nest does a rafter. 

Oh ! j)i'ecious race ! born to defeat 

An overplus of bread and meat, 

Thy doors are open to give access 

To all the poor — to pay their taxes. 

Behold ! another race I see. 
Dear friends to frail humanity, 
Our race's overplus assuagers, 
Commander^^, Generals, Colonels, Majors, 
"Whose practice, like Sangrado's, works 
With guns and pistols, swords and dirks. 
But water not considered needing 
The world is cured by only bleeding ; 
Thus if a continent get chills 
They bleed, and give her leaden pills, 
Or if perchance she has a fever. 
They bleed, and thus at once relieve her, 
'No matter liow upset, they right her. 
By use of iron and of nitre ; 
And thus where every rascal drops 
The ground grows fatter for the crops, 
And forms a fine heroic story. 
Besides a vast amount of glory. 
12* 



274: MESMERISM. 

Tims wliile nobility reduce 
The surplus things the fields produce, 
The warrior masters of creation 
Check gross excess of population. 

But lo ! I see a nobler race. 
Of sober garb, and solemn pace. 
Clad chieflly in the sable stole. 
Some long in beard, some shaved on poll, 
The line of Priesthood, blessed throng ! 
A line not only broad, but long, — 
Back from the preaching days of ISToah, 
Down to the gentle souls at Goa, 
From Brahma's Hindoostanic rajii, 
And calabastic Persian magii, 
The Talmud Jews at holy wells, 
And Coptic oracles, in cells. 
The bearded Druids melancholy, 
Crowned with mistletoe, and holly, 
And rural priests, as well as urban. 
With crescent capping crown and turban; 
And then a long array doth come 
Poured from the loins of Christendom, 
Upon the ' Holy War,' they term it, 
Led on by Peter, yclej^t the Hermit, 
Pind they can get to fill their cloister, 
From Musslemen no single oyster, 
And most came back as it appears, 
With certain insects in their ears. 



MESMERISM. 275 

I kear the damned shrieks of perdition 

Arise from hellish Inquisition, 

Where Huguenots and heretics 

Howl like fiends that haunt the Stjx. 

I see a most diverse array 

Move slowly towards Auto-de-fe, 

And for these chaps thus put in hot land, 

The Papists get some change in Scotland. 

Sweet Christian souls ! who treat each other 

More warmly than they would a brother. 

I see the monkish monasteries, 

With larder fat, and creamy dairies. 

With cellared wine, and ale vats vast 

Where they, poor fellows ! lie and fast 

All the long time that sleep is able 

To separate them from the table — 

While great Divinity in glee 

Hath beatific ecstasy. 

Thus to behold at single sight 

Tall tapers, green, red, blue and white, 

To which the sun, the moon, and stars 

Are dull as ashes on cigars, * 

With music, softer in its words 

Than a whole wilderness of birds ; 

Arched windows, stained with such bright dyes, 

The other arch that spans the skies 

Seems faded miserably bare. 

And quite a second-hand afi'air ; 

* Item, at this point the poet is supposed to call for a Kght and anpther Regalia. 



276 MESMEKISM. 

With cusliions greener than the lawn, 

And soft as down upon the swan, 

Or blushing velvet where they preach ; 

More red in plush than damask peach ; 

A temple with mosaic floors, 

More beautiful than — all out doors, — 

Despite all that old Shakspeare said 

About the roof that's overhead. 

Inlaid with golden stars of fire. 

But whist ! I hear a chanting choir, 

Which from a nunnery proceeds ; 

I see each novice count her beads. 

And o'er and o'er, as if in doubt. 

Just how to make the number out ; 

She doubtless would go in ecstatics 

For some small work on mathematics, 

A ready reckoner, or a quick 

Plain system of arithmetic ; 

She holds all scripture doctrines high, 

Excepts 'increase and multiply' — 

And doubts that Peter 'd make her soul wait 

Too long in passing heaven's toll gate. 

If she should try to pass that wicket 

With small fry, on a family ticket. 

But soft ! I see a Quaker meeting, 
Assemble without sound or greeting. 
Sit on bare boards by way of pleasance. 
Put on their hats in Heaven's presence. 



MESMEEISM. 

Their brown and broad brimmed beaver hats. 
Their drab coats and their silk cravats, — 
With stove-pipe bonnets, perfect passions 
With leaders in celestial fashions, 
'Mong special angels, whose chief care is 
To be jnst in the wake of Paris, — 
As Heaven 's at least a second class court, 
To dress in mode 's a certain passport. 
For gaily dressed, or ragged rascal, 
Should never join the feast of Paschal, 
'Nov men of mnsic — save a few sharp 
Davids, to play upon the Jew's Harp. 
' But, horror on horrors' heads ' I see ! 
Behold ! the race of Broad-brims flee. 
And fear converting every Quaker 
Into a most decided Shaker. 
For lo ! the pious Puritans, 
Have just concocted certain plans, 
To give each Friend an illustration 
Of clear suspended animation — 
A certain trick upon a new rope, 
Played off upon themselves, in Europe, 
And how to find each Friend a steals, 
To fry or roast, to broil or bake. 

But mark ! I swear by oath of Kormans, 
I see the great Salt Lake, and Mormons, 
Defying laws that punish bigamy. 
And practising complete polygamy, 



277 



278 MESMERISM. 

All clanned together, kin and kith, 
Under the strange, great name of — Smith 1 

But lo ! the whole religions race 

Evanishes before my face, 

Sweet Lilies ! free from spot of sin, 

That toil not, neither do they spin,— 

Behold ! a general resurrection. 

In every possible direction, 

Yast as a cloud of mist that's drifted 

Along the vale ; then upward lifted, 

Above the sun-kissed peaks on high. 

They rise and melt into the sky, 

The dynasties of kings and princes. 

Born to preserve old crowns, like quinces, 

The noble race of aristocracy. 

Who take precedence of democracy, 

And lead in heaven the van, the flank 

Of vulgar, who give place to rank — 

Joined by the train ecclesiastic, 

Ascending most enthusiastic. 

Enraptured at their own success 

In bringing mankind happiness 

'Bj praying wdien they hear the cries 

Of famine stricken hosts arise 

And catering for their distresses 

By certain salutary blesses, 

A benedictive manna, which 

Makes empty, starving stomachs rich, — 



MESMERISM. 279 

Makes so much fatness in their eyes 

The poor drop tears of joy's surprise — 

Blest pious tribe ! — whose souls are quick 

To call (in fancy) on the sick, 

Sooth with imaginary kindness, 

The fevered wretch's reason's blindness, 

And in ideal tours engage 

With mercy on her pilgrimage. 

Benevolence send through the mind, 

And only leave themselves behind. 

With so much blessed charity 

There's not an.island in the sea, 

From St. Domingo to Feejee, 

ISTor any continent yet known, 

Where they on missions have not gone ; 

As well as having Argus eyes 

To find where pining sorrow lies, 

And out-cast wretch, and beggars' sores 

And bare-foot infants at their doors, 

All made by them supremely blest 

By rich ideal kind bequest. 

Ah me ! they're fading from my eyes. 

And entering into Paradise ! 

By all my dead fore-father's ghosts 

I'll hence ! and join their rising hosts ! — 

Here did our doctor's patient cease 

His strain, and slept a sleep of peace ; 

A sweet soft slumber gently had him 

Like that which blessed Abou Ben Adhem, 



280 MESMEEISM. 

His hacking cough was checked, and he 
Breathed cahii, and peacefnlly, and free, 
Till pale consumption, quite surprised, 
Found she herself was magnetized. 
Thus did the doctor let him sleep 
In undisturbed elysium deep. 
Through all the fall, as you remember, 
JSTor waked him up in dark December, 
'Nov January, snowy wdiite, 
ISTor February's long, long night, 
ISTor whistling March's windy storm 
Disturbed his peaceful, slumbei:ing form. 
But April came, with sun-tears wet, 
And pranked the woods with violet. 
Blew open butter-cups of gold. 
His frame grew warm, that late was cold, 
And as the warblers' songs were heard. 
His limbs he faintly, feebly stirred, — 
But when young May began to turn 
The golden sunbeams from her urn. 
And Zeph^^r, wooing from the west, 
Unbuttoned the young rose's vest, 
And throwing her red robe apart 
Pressed to his own her golden heart, 
A bloom came o'er the patient's face. 
His limbs waxed strong, he rose apace. 
His eyes, beneath each parted lash, 
"With healthful beams did open flash. 
And marvelled he astonishing. 



MESMEKISM. 281 



To find that Ml had turned to spring ! 
When from the doctor he obtained 
The state of facts, and got explained 
All that pertained to this transaction 
To his entire satisfaction 
He found his body sound as oak, 
And thus, to his physician spoke : 
" Doctor, I feel I'm free from ills- 
Ill sleep,— and save my tavern bills !" 



FIT m. 



Henceforth onr doctor's wondrous skill 
Brought thousands to his domicil, 
Back and forth the stream would pour, 
Darkening the threshold of his door. 
At last a lovely maiden came, 
Urania, was her gentle name, 
She was as beautiful to sight 
As sylph the poet sees by night, 
Walking with sandaled feet the shades, 
Within the silent forest glades 
What time the moon with silver sheen 
Doth plate the leafy groves of green, — 
'Never did mortal see such eyes. 
So simple, yet so wondrous wise, 



282 MESMEEISM. 

Dark, liquid, Hashing back a beam, 

A star set on a midniglit stream, 

A diamond in an ocean cave. 

That sees tlie sky up through the wave, 

Shaded by silken fringe of jet, 

Soft as the gossamer's thin net 

Which overspreads a violet. 

Her raven hair, in countless curls. 

Fell clustering from a wreath of pearls, 

Upon a neck of dazzling white, 

As darkness falls on snow by night ; 

Her mouth was like a coral bow, 

Just bent to let the arrow go. 

Made by the infant Cupid boy. 

To shoot the silver shafts of joy ; 

Her lovely cheek was in its glow 

A rose, which bled to death in snow ! 

Upon her neck twin fairy moles — ■ 

And like two full magnolia boles, 

In sweetness swelled each rising breast ; 

Or two white doves in one soft nest. 

Her modest robe was lightly thrown, 

As lono^ maOTiolia leaves are blown 

Across its round and swelling bloom, 

Just ere it bursts with pure perfume. 

Where part is hid, and part is seen, 

When Zephyr lifts the mantle green. 

And there she sat, beside the table. 

Her fair hand 'mong her curls of sable, 




And there slie sat. beside the table. 

Her fair hand Dnong her curls of sable. 

Fair as the hand of Morn that lifts 

From Day's white brew the Night's blacK drifts ■ 



MESMEEISM. 283 

Fair as the hand of Morn, that lifts 

From Day's white brow the N"ight's black drifts ! 

"My fair Urania !" said the doctor, 
As sitting by her chair he rocked her, 
" I pritliee, loved one, in thy trance 
Of open-eyed, strange clairvoyance, 
Canst thou now throw thy lovely eyes on 
The Future's mystical horizon ! 
Upon your hand I press a kiss. 
Speak ! I beseech you, Queen of Bliss !" 



As poesy and music blent 
Her voice with sweets was redolent, 
Spicy as southern gale which bears 
The mocking-bird's strange, varied airs 
As thus Hew off her words with ease, 
Like apple-blossoms from the trees : 



" Dear doctor, this bright world is fair 
To those who study it with care ; 
Wear but the ring that God hath sent, 
The talisman of calm Content, 
And man regains, at little cost, 
The Paradise that Adam lost. 
And stares with ecstasy to find 
A new-made Eden in the mind. 
Yon king, who sits upon a throne, 



284 ISI 1 : S M 10 K ISM. 

And queen, begirt Avitli diamond zone, 

Possess no jewel whicli can niatcli 

Yon peasant's, 'neatli lils cottage thatch, — 

"Within liis bosom close he bears 

A star no living monarch wears, 

A heart-illuminating gem, 

More precious than a diadem. 

Where think yon mortal man shall get 

This pearl of in-'ice, this amulet ? 

This more than philosophic stone, 

By whose transmuting touch alone, 

A bright steel axe you may behold 

Transformed into a wedge of gold, — ■ 

A woodman's cottage, small to vie, 

With palaces and towers high ? — 

ISTot 'neath the dome of kings is seen 

This gem of most effulgent sheen, 

Nor 'mong the idle throng of drones 

That swarm about the foot of thrones. 

And fiitten on the honey meal 

Which from the laboring bees they steal. 

Think you 'tis like an heir-loom passed 

From sire to son, in lordly caste. 

Of ribbons, honors, garters, stars, 

Or all heraldic hues and bars? 

Think you the Pope himself doth hold 

This more than master-key of gold, 

With wdiich the power on earth is given 

To living man to open heaven ? 



MESMERISM. 285 

Think you yon merchant prince doth own 
This gem, because in every zone 
His white winged ships upon tlie sea 
Plough homeward laden heavily ? 

IsTay, none of these. — But he whose mind 

Determines for itself to find 

The sunny side of everything, 

Will see this jewel glittering. 

Yea, thougli the darkness w^ere as deep 

As midniglit in her deepest sleep, — 

Possess but this, and grief shall be 

A thing but of the memory — ■ 

Hold but this lamp, and 'twill illume 

The whole world's wilderness of gloom, 

Seal up the fount of sorrow's eye, 

Drain grief's deep well of tears quite dry, 

Lift the pale head of lorn distress, 

And on her lips kind kisses press. 

And throw into her eyes, the while. 

Such heaven light, she can but smile ; 

As some dark forest wliich appears. 

When rains are passed, in sunny tears, 

More beautiful than if it had 

N'e'er been for one dark hour sad — 

For there's no soul so desert bare 

But flowers may be cultured there, 

Making a palmy oasis 

With fountains of unfailing bliss, 



286 MESMERISM. 

A sweet, delicious flood to taste 
Upwelling in an arid, waste !" 

Entranced the doctor stood, amazed, 

As in Urania's eyes lie gazed, 

And as a liumming-bird dotli haste 

The lioney-suckle's wine to taste, 

He knelt before her — rose, and drew 

From her sweet lips their honey-dew. 

Pure as ambrosial nectar which 

Jove sips from golden goblets rich, — 

Kisses which set his soul on fire. 

With, high ecstatical desire. 

Sent through his frame such lightning thrills 

That w^ith delio-ht it almost kills. 



" Oh! fair Urania !" then he cried, 
"Be thou that jewel, and my bride ; 
IS'or from my sight thy bosom hide, 
For oh ! if, looking in thine eyes, 
Such beatific visions rise, 
"What shall I feel if thou undress 
Thy matchless bosom's loveliness ; 
For there that hidden gem must be 
Which opens all futurity. 
And if not there, where shall I seek 
This pearl of price of which you speak ?'' 
Then said, the fair Urania, " N'ay, 
Seek not to know more than you may ; 



MESMERISM. 287 

For thee, alone let it suffice 

To find this earth's rare pearl of price. 

They come not back, who seek afar 

The secret nature of each star. 

For once the gates of Life are j)assed, 

'No backward look the eye may cast ; 

The secrets dread, that realm may give, 

Mortal may never know, and live — 

And ever vainly may you scan 

The mystery of the life of man. 

No good can come of it to see 

The wonders of futurity. 

By living mind the spirit dead 

May not be rashly questioned, 

The human thought may sweep the spheres, 

But vainly, for a million years, 

And though bright Science' mirror blaze 

With untold planets' countless rays, 

Yet man shall not while earth shall roll 

Solve the strange secret of the soul, 

Nov face to face, nor hand to hand, 

Meet one who dwells in spirit-land. — 

Man may not comprehend God's ways. 

For bursting from His face such rays 

Flash oif, as set the air ablaze ! — 

A concentrated sun of mind. 

Which strikes the bold beholder blind. 

And burns man's essence through and through 

As morning drinks a drop of dew ! — 



288 MESMERISM. 

The living, leaping tliimders dwell 
Around the Unattainable, 
And brandish Death's blue lightning lauce 
Before dismayed Presumption's glance ; 
Such brands each form of terror wields, 
Behind a dazzling wall of shields, 
"Where all inscrutable, alone. 
Sits veiled in light the one unknown — 
A danger worse than death, beware ! 
For stationed on the threshold there, 
Where human souls in clairvoyance 
On pinions thither dare advance, 
The red-eyed monster of the portals. 
Madness ! doth seize the daring mortals. 
Know that the Great, least Understood 
Hath placed a barrier for man's good 
Twixt wisdom that will cheer and bless, 
And that which must be fathomless. 
Thy heart take daily in thy hand. 
And when it closely thou hast scanned, 
Poured out upon it all thine eyes. 
And finding though you scrutinize 
Within, without, no speck or flaw 
Which from it you are fain to draw, 
Then may the soul through death alone 
Behold the great white heaven throne, — 
But while this frame of life remains 
'Tis bound to earth by triple chains, 
Till death at one blow breaks the hnks, 



MESMERISM. 

And one vast moment solves the Sphinx ! 

Earth, has alone, yet undefined. 

More matter for the searchins^ mind 

Than centuries can solve, though man 

Upon the wings of lightning ran. 

Earth's fountains ever freshly swell 

Tn wisdom's spring, and truth's deep well, 

And bright-eyed Science at the brink 

Gives every thirsting pilgrim drink, 

And shows, the golden sands that boil 

Up to the green brink of the soil. 

In their small spheres as wondrous are 

As any distant belted star, 

And all these sand grain atoms massed 

Become a globe, whose laws are vast. 

And that part which is yet revealed 

JS'aught to the still untrodden field. 

Here pitch thy tent, and solve this sphinx, 

Earth had enough to him who thinks. 

X- * -^ ^ ^ -If -Jf * 

So to compare small things to great. 
Like secrets have I in my fate. 
Yet I will grant to thy behest 
Whatever thing thou dost request, 
Will stay for ever at thy side. 
Will love thee, better than a bride, 
But oh ! whatever thy request 
Seek not the secret of my breast, 
I charge thee on thy sou], beware ! 
13 



290 MESMERISM. 

Bid nie not lay my bosom bare. 

'Now name the one thing that you want, 

That thing I promise thee to grant !" 

He spake — " I'd know the thing forbidden, 

Lay bare that beauteous bosom hidden !" 

'' Fatal decree !" Urania cried, 
And tore apart her vesture wide, 
" Behold! the folly of the answer !" 
Her bosom was a living cancer ! 
The hills of snow were all beneath 
A hideous charnal house of death, 
Corruption fattened on each part, 
And made a hollow to her heart ! 
While all without, that seemed so fair, 
Within was but a sepulchre ! 

An instant's gaze, too dead to speak, 
One glance of horror, and one shriek, 
One laugh, as if his lungs would crack, 
And out he ran, a maniac ! 



A CHEISTMAS STOEY 



It was a bright December morn, 

The fences all were white with frost ; 
And on the locust's leaf and thorn 

A fairy lace-work was embossed. 
Each pendant bongh was tipped with pearl- 

A frozen, crystal pearl of price ; 
And where the mill-wheel used to whirl, 

Its oaken arms are spiked with ice. 
"Where moved the waters 'neath the skim, 

So pure, translucent o'er the stream. 
The fish were seen, all still and dim. 

As half in death and half in dream. 



A traveller from a village inn. 

Far in the wildwoods of the West, 

"Who for the night a guest had been, 
Upon his journey early pressed. 



I 



292 WINTER, 

With dawn the thrifty blacksmith rose, 

And yet ere while his shop ivas dark, 
Strong on his windy bellows blows — 
Anon the ruddy furnace glows, 

And charcoal snaps with many a spark. 
With leathern apron tied with strings — 

From bare brown arm his sleeve he turns. 
Then loud his stroke on anvil rings. 

And crimson red the iron burns. 



And now the traveller passes by 

The woodman and his faithful dog, 
And stoutly doth the yeoman ply 

His keen, bright axe on mossy log ; 
Loud from the barn upon the hill 

Are heard the flapping wings and crow. 
Where, searching corn-grains round the mill, 

The feathered flock instinctive go ; 
Or through the barn -yard nimbly tread, 

Where the tall stalks and blades of corn. 
Unmixed with flinty ears are spread, 

Long ere the sound of breakfast horn. 
There feed the slow, huge ox and cows, 

Here lazy geese, one foot npdrawn ; 
There turkeys, perched upon the boughs, 

Doubt to descend npon the lawn. 
Soon comes the maid, with smoking milk, 

And from the stables, all astir 



WINTER. 293 

With horses combed as fine as silk, 
And cracking whip, the wagoner. 

But, 'mid this cheerful, mingled noise, 

The traveller may not stop to rest ; 
His heart is not alive to joys. 

But seeks its home far in the "West ; 
For he has been away for years. 

And all the land seems strange to him, 
And through his eye's imprisoned tears. 

The very golden sun is dim — 
The sun, that bursting through the mist. 

Which all the frozen mill-pond shrouds. 
Shoots streaks of red and amethyst. 

Between the grey and purple clouds. 
And falls with warm and silent stroke 

Where frost upon the brown leaf sleeps, 
'Till all the silvered fences smoke. 

And every mournful cedar weeps. 

Then chirps the sparrow in the hedge. 

And where the warm sjDring wends astray 
'Mid cresses, green, and yellow sedge. 

The wild fowl makes her quiet way, 
And on the leafless bramble briar. 

Hops undisturbed and tame. 
The Eed Bird, in his dress of fire, 

Bright as a torch of flame. 



294 WINTER. 

And he, witli voice so loud, so clear, 

And cheerfully did sing, 
It filled the morning atmosphere, 

And made the echo ring — 
And with his burnished eye so bright, 

Turned down from towering oak, 
The jetty crow 2:>aused in his flight, 

And gave his signal croak. 
O'er stubble fields the traveller crossed. 

With crisp and crushing tread, 
And startled, trampling on the frost, 

The rabbit from his bed. 
From his warm nest the timid elf 

Flies, frightened near to death. 
Bounds off, pursued but by himself. 

Alarmed at his own breath. 

" Thus," said the traveller, " are my fears, 

The phantoms of my mind. 
And through the long, dark lapse of years 

I dread to look behind. 
My father, noble, brave old man, 

Can he be yet alive ? 
For since we met the years have ran 

Beyond the score of five. 
And five long years, by sea and shore. 

Since I my brothers saw ; 
More merry hearts men never bore, 

'Nov honest breath did draw ; 



WINTER. 295 

And of my blushing sisters, three, 

Sweet flower-bnds of joy ! 
In this rough frame can they yet see 

Their once wild madcap boy ? 
And oh ! that blue-eyed, angel one, 

My Mother ! gentle saint, 
Whose smile was like the kiss the sun 

Gives last to evening, faint ; 
A look that was so mild a balm, 

With sadness 'twas allied, 
Soothed sorrow, till the heart grew calm 

And rested — satisfied. 
My mother ! Oh, her gentle gaze 

Was like autumnal air, 
And in the soul, its calm blue haze 

Made Indian Summer there ! 
Moves she through our dwelling now, 

From wheel to noisy loom. 
Serenity upon lier brow — 

The angel of the room ? 
Scans she the holy page yet o'er, 

With eyes of truth and love ? 
Or wanders she upon that shore. 

Her faith beheld above ? 
For there could need no grave for her, 

Change were a useless word ; 
But only wings of gossamer, 

To waft her to tlie Lord. 



296 



WINTER. 

Yet one, one more I left behind, 

Yet bore in fancy far, 
Clear on the mirror of my mind, 

As on the sea a star. 
Sweet Genevieve ! beloved maid ! 

Eound thy white brow did glow 
Thy hair, a sable stream that strayed 

Through winter's field of snow ; 
Thy figure tall, thy bodice laced. 

Thy swelling breast scarce seen — 
Eose like twin lilies, whitely placed 

In roundest vests of green — 
A pink upon thy lips was thrown, 

A bloom thy cheek did grace, 
As if the winds of May had blown 

Peach blossoms in thy face ! 
Thy glance was like the flash of jet, 

Yet blue as summer skies. 
Which turned those orbs of violet 

To pansies in thine eyes ! 
Ah ! once my fond and beauteous child, 

My young beloved maid. 
Thine artless confidence beguiled 

My wood-walks through the shade ; 
Then I was prouder than the Czar 

Of thee, my bonnie lass, 
"What time the dandelion's star 

Shone on us from the grass — 



WINTER. 297 

Then separation was so sweet 

To meet again so soon ! 
"Where silver-leaved, our green retreat, 

Half hid ns from the moon. 
When gold cups pranked green lawns by day. 

And silver stars blue night, 
I never knew, save when away 

From thee, the loss of light ; 
But now I shudder at the thought. 

And falter in my breath. 
To think, perchance, thy soul had sought, 

A land unknown to death. 
And in this doubt, with such a dread, 

As one in dark doth grope. 
And trembling through the gloom I tread, 

By one faint star of Hope." 



Thus mused the sailor traveller, 

As he his journey pressed. 
Through many a field beset with burr 

And thorny thicket, west. 
Along the highway and the lane. 

Half thawed, half frozen track, 
Where stood the farmer's hay and grain, 

In many a goodly stack. 
Thus up the hill and down the dell. 

By paths through forests led, 
Where melting frosts made runnels swell 
1 p'^ 



298 WINTER. 

And limbs crack overhead ; 
For lionrs he hurries stoutly on, 

And counts no backward league ; 
And lightly weighs the toil that's gone, 

For Hope surmounts fatigue. 
On each brown leaf a topaz tear 

In yellow light is seen. 
Like the bright gem swung to the ear 

Of an Egyptian queen. 
And like to childhood's sunny grief, 

Where sobs and smiles are near, 
The sun a kiss doth give the leaf. 

The wind dries up the tear. 
A cold north blast arises keen. 

As now the sun declines, 
And through the pine tree, dark and green 

Shoots out its level lines, 
While from the west horizon large 

A long and looming rack 
Of purple clouds, with golden marge, 

Eests on a bank of blank ; 
And monster shadows, like huge wings 

Of fabled Phoenix, spread, 
'Till seeming that it upward springs, 

Fresh from its flaming bed ; 
While sullen mountain masses grey 

On mountains are piled higher. 
Yet sets the last torch of the day 

Their pinnacles on fire ; 



WINTEE. 299 

And all the upper sky across 

Cloud-courier flocks now swarm, 
Like some great flight of Alabatross 

That ride upon the storm ; 
And the huge shades of trees outspread 

Lie long, and black as night, 
Like sable giants lying dead 

Upon a fleld of fight. 
The west light fades — all sounds grow still, 

Save mournful winds sweep by. 
From yon bare plain upon the hill. 

The lone, sad lover's cry ; 
And with the last gleam of the moon 

A sigh comes on the gale, 
Where from the windy, dark lagoon, 
The melancholy bird, the loon. 

Screams out a strange, wild wail — 
Too true ! Oh ! bird of omen ill. 

The path grows dark beneath the oak, 
The storm is here ! I^ight on the hill 

Flies like a witch, in sable cloak — 
The gusty gale with sudden fit. 

High in the dark, loose leaves doth flow, 
And then from inky cloud doth spit, 

And then comes thick the feathery snow 
(Thick as the chafi", which sudden gales, 

And whirlwinds in the summer days 
Fill all the vision with, and sails 

In one mad dance and endless maze). 



300 WINTEK. 

The snow falls tliick, the snow falls fast, 
'Till all the air is filled with snow. 

While all above is one black blast, 
All grows one sheet of white below. 

Sad fares the sailor traveller now ; 

The blinding storm beats in his face, 
He draws his hat down o'er his brow. 

And with his staff feels every pace ; 
The hours pass on — the snow-storm's force 

Bates not a measm-e of its wrath. 
But fills before his 'wildered course 

The Avinding traces of his path. 
And now he fails to mark the way. 

For all is black, and all is white, 
Kor can he tell which course to stray. 

By sense of feeling, or of sight. 
I>row to a treacherous brook he wends, 

And breaks through ice in water chill, 
Now scrambling up o'er rocks, ascends. 

Many stumbling logs, a forest hill. 
With icy hands, and feet which freeze. 

He gropes in darkness, all in vain ; 
Confused, strikes 'gainst boughs and trees, 

But path nor road can he regain — ■ 
And still the black storm beateth swift, 

And weary grows his tread. 
As everywhere the downy drift 

Piles up its heavy bed. 



WINTER. 301 

Still blows the wind — still beats the snow, 

And lie grows more, more chill. 
But yet with blinded vision, slow. 

He mounts the forest hill. 
Through hazel-brake, up stony steep, 

He plods, but often falls. 
Oft trips in faithless hollows deep, 

Yet still upscaling crawls. 
And oft, in grasping at a bush, 

His fingers numb, are torn 
By some sharp prickled under-brush, 

The mountain-ash, or thorn. 
Though faint, the sailor traveller 

In darkness growing weak. 
Proves yet a hero forester. 

And struggles up the peak. 
At length the toilsome height is won. 

The pinnacle and crest. 
And sinking on a snowy stone. 

He pauses there, for rest. 
The mountain wind was now more high 

Within the wilderness, 
Yet from the black and stormy sky 

The falling snow was less, 
And in the heavy ebon drift 

There was a strip of blue, 
Like angel eyes within the rift 

Two stars were looking through ! — 
It closed again — and all was dark 



302 WINTEK. 

Without his vision's scope, 
Till in the vale he saw a spark, 

A beacon lamp of Hope, 
His heart leaped np, his strength returned, 

Down hill his way he sped. 
Where bright a household fire burned 

And on the snow fell red ; 
A cheerful light, that through the night 

Sent out its genial rays 
Through the illumined windows bright 

All golden with a blaze ! — ■ 
And as he neared the welcome door 

Gay sounds were heard within. 
Dark figures moved across the floor 

To merry violin. 
He reached the portal, rapped the post. 

And shortly there did bide 
Ere the old hospitable host 

Straight ushered him inside. 
Quoth he, " It is a bitter night, 

And thou art cold I fear, 
But stranger, shelter for the night, 

Partake our humble cheer. 
We plenty have to comfort guest. 

And thou shall have thy part. 
For he's unworthy of the West, 

Who shares not wdtli the heart. 
But chiefly in this Christmas time 

Should we bear Hem in mind. 



WINTER. 3(f3 

Whose heart was one sweet summer clime 

That blessed all mankind. 
Then doff thy mantle, don the dry, 

And let no more be said, 
Plain honest Hospitality 

Says ' Welcome to my shed.' 
To deal with words would keej) thee cold, 

The maxim of my dome, 
And of my fathers, was of old, 

'Here, stranger, be at home.'" 

Beside the fire sits the guest, 

Another room displays 
The merry dancers of the West, 

In intermingled maze. 
The great log- fires blazing bright 

In the wide chimney -place. 
Threw out a cheerful, rosy light, 

Into each happy face. 
And many a comic mimic pranced, 

With uncouth step and din, 
'Mid reels that lads and lasses danced, 

To lively violin. 
A goodly table well was spread 

With viands to the brink. 
And huge the bowl, with apples red, 

That held the smoking drink. 
And little was the interval 

In which the dance did cease, 



304 WINTER. 

For mirth presided over all, 
And, like embodied Peace, 

A sweet and gentle matron trod 
Tlirougliout the room the while, 

A household angel, sent by God 
To teach the world to smile ! 

And now the traveller, cheered by food, 

And fire, quite restored. 
Sits in the great old arm-chair, rude, 

Hard by the mantle-board, 
A quiet, lovely girl draws nigh. 

Close to the chimney-place. 
With curious, furtive glance doth eye 

The stranger's bronzed face. 
He tells her stories of the sea, 

Of dangers of the deep. 
Of perils, and of misery. 

Till she is forced to weep ; 
The danger that the whaleman dares. 

In the Pacific vast ; 
Of huge ice-islands, and the bears, 

On coasts where they were cast ; 
Of all the horrors that they felt, 

Where glass-green walls uprear. 
High to the sun, which cannot melt 

From their cold peaks, a tear ; 
And the transparent wall goes down 

So green and far below, 



WINTER. 305 



Yet shoots into tlie sky a crown 

That glitters in the snow. 
The icy isles, that never feel 

A soft and genial gale, 
But bitter blasts, that wedge the keel, 

With binding frost and hail ; 
Where far and wide as sight can go, 

IS'o living thing is seen. 
And on the eternal waste of snow, 

ITot one glad leaf of green ; 
Of cold that pierces to the soul, 

And famished hunger's pangs, 
When like a pall around the Pole, 

The night of winter hangs. 

The maiden listens with a sigh. 

And so interested gets. 
The tear-drops fall from each blue eye, 

Like dew from violets. 



He tells, that when those sailors brave 

Are many years at sea, 
False-hearted friends make them a grave 

Within their memory. 
If but their love were true as cold. 

It would remain alway, 
Like objects which you there behold. 

That never knew decay — 



306 WINTETJ. 

Would never let remembrance show 

One spark of truth the less, 
iN'or love, like rubies, lie 'neath snow 

In blank forgetfulness. 

In tears perplexed, the maid amazed, 

Upon his face did pore, 
With black-lashed eyes, dropped them, and gazed 

In silence on the floor : 
Again he spoke, " I knew a man 

Who cruised those seas with me, 
He was a bold American, 

A backwoodsman was he ; 
But never in the darkest night, 

Amid the freezing foam. 
Could he not turn his inner sight 

Full on his western home ; 
And never in the dark descried 

N'orth Lights fantastical, 
But that he saw the fireside 

And shadows on the wall. 
Beside a polar spring one day. 

That warm-welled up through snows, 
He saw a scarlet bud display 

A red that shamed the rose ; 
He plucked, and cried, ' a type, I win, 

For thus shall be my love : 
That lives alone by warmth within, 

And not from light above.' 



WINTER. 307 



He knelt, and j^ressecl it to his heart, 

Said, ' Here, this bud I'll bear, 
For one whom death alone can part,' 

Then breathed for her a prayer. 
At last he said, ' This will, or not, 

This amulet I've won. 
Tell if my love is gone, forgot, 

Lost in oblivion.' " 



The stranger sailor ceased to sj^eak — 

The violet-eyed maid 
Lost all the color from her cheek. 

And seemed like one that prayed. 
Forth from his bosom, slow, he drew 

A casket, small, with care. 
And, blushing still, with scarlet hue, 

The bud within lay there. 
He would have said — ere he began, 

She snatched the charm of charms — 
The rosy little talisman. 

And sank into his arms ! 

Why tell of how they screamed, they gazed, 

The joyful news to learn ; 
And how, to see all were amazed, 

Their sailor boy return ; 
Of how they kissed him, shook his hand, 

And all talked at a time, 



308 WINTER. 

And questioned of the Northern Land, 

And of the icy clime ; 
How mother, brotliers, sisters came, 

And father, too, beside. 
All calling out at once liis name, 

And viewing him witli pride ; 
And one, far more than all the rest, 

Stood leaning at his side — 
Then dropped her head upon liis breast, 

And, from pure pleasure, cried ! 
"Nov how, full soon, the sailor boy 

Forgot his toil and pain. 
And in the reel, with laughing joy, 

Danced with his might and main. 
How oft the foaming bowl went round, 

And every eye was bright. 
Till daylight heard the music sound, 

And Christmas came in siglit. 



-A.UTUM:]sr 



"When Indian Summer, like an Indian Queen 
Witli dusky face, the prairies skirt doth tread, 

And all the forests universal green 

Blushes throughout with varied shades of red ; 

When sugar trees with pale vermillion wave, 
And golden flakes fall from the hickory. 

And eddying downward toward its wintry grave, 
The sanguine gum-leaf dro23peth, silently, 

When the brown Paw-paw lies upon the ground 
With golden heart, exlialing odor rare, 

And from the Shell Bark, Avith a rattling sound 
The squirrel shakes the nut down through the air ; 

AVhen Hackberries are black upon tlxeir stems, 
And on the Wild Grape dusky purple lies, 

And Indian-Arrow clusters with its o^ems 
More bright tlian coral in its scarlet dyes; 



810 AUTUMN. 

When all the woods is one great sepulchre, 
Where leaf by leaf drops in its noiseless tomb, 

Yet their decay smells sweet as burning myrrh, 
And Death himself breathes but a rich perfume ; 

When Farewell Summer is the only plant 

That through the dry brown wilds is seen to blow, 

And in the crimson Oriole's green haunt 
The only verdure left is Mistletoe, — 

The Mistletoe, that like an honest friend 
Changes no jot before the bitter blast, 

But faithful clings when rushing storms descend, 
And 2:reenest smiles when ice doth bind him fast. 

Then Indian Summer, like an Indian Queen, 
That burnt sweet incense for departed love. 

Drew o'er the whole her canopy serene, 

Through which the sunlight fell in from above. 

And thus the gentle Spirit of the Fall 

O'er low, blue stream, or towering russet oak, 

Threw from her censer, softly over all, 
A dim, transparent veil of hazy smoke. 

Twas then when pensive Autumn was abroad, 
The sky, the hills, the brooks, the air was blue. 

The heaven was sunny as the smile of God, 

And beams like angels came descending through. 



AUTUMN. 311 

The wind scarce sliook the thistle's beard of snow, 
But whispered as it would some secret keep, 

And murmured forth a hvmn so sad and low. 
The very sunshine seemed to fall asleep. 

Such was the season long and long ago, 

When we lay camped within a western wood, 

An annual party, that were used to go. 
To hunt the deer, and dwell with solitude. 

By day we rambled through the forest wide. 
And where the hazel tangled up the dell. 

We marked the buck leap in his antlered pride, 
The rifle rang, the poor brown victim fell. 

The hungry raven snufl^ed him from afar. 

And hovered o'er to see the poor wretch bleed. 
Turned down his eye like some black night's white star, 

And husky croaked reproach upon the deed. 

But w^hen the Bear came in our forest path. 
With no compassion pity smote the breast. 

But danger gave delight, when in his wrath. 
He fiercely fought, but perished like the rest. 

And oft with dextrous sound beguiled, 
We called the glossy turkey from the hill. 

And dramming pheasants heard we in the wild, 
Send out their thunders when the woods were still, 



312 AUTUMN. 

Long ere the wild bee shooting through the light, 
The last lone blossom of the morning sipped, 

We scaled at dawn the upland woody height, 

Where day's gold spears the highest ridges tipped. 

But when night's shadows stretched across the vale, 
Home to our camp from howling wolves we sped, 

Our steps retraced, rehearsing as a tale, 
Our day's exploits, before log fires, red. 

"While deer and turkeys hung up here and there. 
Made goodly show within the ruddy light. 

And on a pole perchance there swung a bear. 
That yet seemed grinning fiercely for the fight. 

Kude w^ere our beds, but hunters sleep with ease. 
And when our cups and pipes were past and gone, 

And all secure, we dropped off by degrees. 
To rise refreshed and happy at the dawn. 

One day when Evening, like an Indian Queen, 
Put by the gorgeous drapery of her dress. 

Bade us good night, with sweetest smiles serene. 
And Twilight stole forth from the wilderness. 



I sat with one old man w^ithin our camp — 
'Twas early yet, our friends had not returned. 

The dew upon the leaf was scarcely damp, 
But in the shadows, bright our fire burned — 



AUTUMN. 8X3 

AYlien in. the path that by our shelter led, 
There came a creature like a woodland sprite, 

The flames' reflection on her face fell red, 
And she did seem like the embodied Kight. 

Around her form her mantle black was drawn, 
With limb as free as waving willow bough, 

Her forehead had the whiteness of the dawn. 
And morning's stars were underneath her brow ; 

Ko fetter rested in her raven hair, 

But loose it lay in masses on her back, 

And where upon the woodland pathway, bare 

Her white feet fell^ they seemed to light the track. 

^' By Jove !" the old man cried, and gave a start, 
Springing upright, and striding from his place, 

With such expression that it seemed his heart, 
Turned young again, and shone out in his face. 

Quoth he, " Tve heard since I was but a boy. 
Of fawns and sylphs that haunt a twilight wood, 

But never saw I such a living joy. 

As this same miracle of flesh and blood." 

While thus we gazed, in admiration lost, 
Like those by whom an angel doth alight. 

She o'er the brook, and through the forest crossed, 
And sudden vanished from our anxious sight. 
14 



314 AUTUMN. 

Soon came tlie hunters ; as tUej did eat and quaff. 
We told tlieni straight of what j ust now did chanco 

Whereat they all with one acclaim did laugh, 
At age's folly, and at youth's romance. 

When Indian Summer, like an Indian Queen, 
At morning rose, crowned with her diadem, 

rieilecting lustre from its yellow sheen. 
Upon the dew that hung on every stem, 

I took the path she trod the night before, 
To wdiere an opening in the wood revealed 

A cabin, with its morning-gloried door. 

Half hid by maize and sun-flowers in the field. 

The watch-dog's growl brought out the lovely maid— 
Oh ! if at night she seemed an elfin fay, 

Kow more than ever looked she like the shade 
Of Indian Summer traversing the day ! 

Still, as before, that nameless face of white. 
Still, as before, in flowing robe of black. 

Still the jet hair, and eyes like starry night, 
And each foot lay a lily in its track. 

There was no smile upon her saintly face, 
As with her hand she motioned me within ; 

But, like a presence of celestial grace, 

She looked like Eve, before the thought of sin. 



AUTUMN. 315 

There, white as winter's whitest snow, I saw 
A tall man's face, with eyes as black as jet, 

Wasted and wan, and slowly did he draw 

His breath, and both his eyes and teeth were set. 

Prosl:rate he lay, and painfully he gasped. 

Unheeding stared into tlie vacant air. 
His ileshless hands above his breast were clasped, 

And nmrmared only " Mary !" like a prayer. 

Down dropped the girl npon her bended knees, 
With one fair arm upheld his feeble head. — ■ 

The sun shone in on him, he smiled, the breeze 

Caught his last breath, — ^her best, sole friend was 
dead ! 

She looked to Heaven, no tear was in her eye. 
But clasped his lifeless hand in both of hers; 

And, like a statue, transformed instantly 
From life to marble, not a limb she stirs. 

I hastened to call succor to her aid. 

And give the father rites due to the dead ; 

Our friends at camp no jot of time delayed. 
But back with haste unto the cottage sped. 

There lay the dead — there knelt the girl beside, — 
No word was spoken, each one held his breath ; 

I softly threw her long, black locks aside, 

And looked beneath, and saw the angel Death I 



310 AUTUMN. 

A cloud came o'er the suusliiue of the day, 
And Indian Snmnier, like an Indian Queen, 

Stole o'er the landscape with the light awaj, 
And left all sombre, silent, and serene. 



THE END 



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